A Different Beginning
by hellogoodbye57
Summary: What if Luke and Lorelai had met when she first came to Stars Hollow? Definite AU. All the usual disclaimers apply.
1. Chapter 1

Lorelai Gilmore frowned at her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing her favorite dress; it was red with spaghetti straps and covered in sparkles that, naturally, her mother hated. Of course, her mother's dislike only made the dress more beautiful in Lorelai's eyes. Unfortunately, the dress did not fit Lorelai as it had five months ago. It was too small around the hips, too tight at her waist, and her breasts were falling out. Of course, many things had changed in the past five months. Five months before, she was not being forced to marry a man she did not love. She was graduating from high school, going to Yale, starting a career. She was certainly not struggling to pass a series of tests to earn her GED. She was not fighting with her parents (well, she was always fighting with her parents, but the fights were less heated before).

But then, everything changed with a single color. Pink. Lorelai had always liked the color pink. She certainly had nothing against Pink Floyd or _Pretty in Pink_. Yet that pale pink which stared at her four months before had something sinister lurking beneath its seemingly innocent surface. It was laughing at Lorelai, mocking her for the mistake she had made and the dreams she had ruined. Pink hated her.

Lorelai had thrown the pregnancy test away, refusing to look at the horrid color. She would not—could not—believe she was pregnant. Okay, her period had been late. So what? She could be stressed. And the vomiting and hot flashes could simply mean she had a bug of some kind. As for the cravings. . . well, he had always had strange eating habits. Lorelai had tried valiantly to prove that she was not pregnant, but the doctor had confirmed it, and Lorelai's world came crashing down around her.

Telling her parents was the hardest part. After recovering from their initial shock, they had begun to plan the remainder of Lorelai's life. She would take a battery of tests to receive her GED. She and Christopher would get married. Christopher would go to college and then work for Lorelai's father. Lorelai had screwed up, big time, but Emily and Richard Gilmore could fix it. They could create the picture perfect family. Lorelai, Christopher, and the baby. Everything would work out.

Lorelai had different plans. She didn't want to marry Chris. She didn't love him. She wanted to live her own life and leave Chris free to live his. Although Lorelai knew nothing about childcare, she wanted to figure it out on her own, not relying on anyone else. But her mother just kept pushing.

"Lorelai?" Emily's voice called up the stairs.

"Yes, mother?" Lorelai quickly derobed and began to pull on a loose t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Christopher has come to see you."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "I'll be down in a minute, Mother!" She zipped her jeans and hung her dress back in her closet before running down the steps. Her mother was waiting at the bottom, lips pressed tightly together.

"Lorelai, how many times must I ask you not to run down the stairs? It sounds like a herd of wild animals." Lorelai said nothing but turned and headed to the living room. Chris sat on the couch, nervously fidgeting as he ran his hands through his wavy brown hair.

"Hi, Lor," he greeted when he saw her. Though he managed a smile, he still appeared ready to throw up.

"What's up, Chris?" Lorelai asked apprehensively.

"Well, I've been thinking. . . about us. . . and the baby. . . and I think. . . well, do you wanna marry me?" He pulled a ring box from his pocket and opened it, holding it out to her.

"I can't believe her!"

"Who?" Chris was a bit panicked, especially since Lorelai had made no move to take the ring from the box in his hands. He thought she would accept the offer immediately. After all, she was pregnant with _his_ baby.

"My mother. I keep telling her I don't want to get married, so she sends _you_ to talk me into it. I hate her!"

"Er. . . well. . ." Chris was extremely uncomfortable now. Emily _had_ told him to ask Lorelai properly and "talk some sense into that girl." But they were supposed to get married, right? That's what you did when you got pregnant. You got married so you could raise the baby properly.

"I knew it! Look, Chris, you really don't want to be involved in any of Emily Gilmore's little schemes. It'll all blow up in your face later."

"But, Lor, you're. . . pregnant."

"So? Look, Chris, I don't love you in that way, and I know you don't love me. We'd be miserable if we got married."

"But, Lor-"

"No buts, Chris. We both have the rest of our lives ahead of us. Let's not let Emily Gilmore ruin that." She stood up and looked at Chris who remained on the couch, dumbfounded. Her eyes took on a sad, almost wistful look. "Goodbye, Chris," she told him before turning and walking back to her room.

A few minutes later, Lorelai lay on her stomach on the bed in her room, absent-mindedly flipping through a magazine. She had headphones on which were connected to a boombox with the volume turned up louder than Emily would approve of. Lorelai enjoyed her secret moments of rebellion. As the song changed, the door to the room opened violently, hitting the wall behind it and rebounding sharply. An irate Emily caught it before beginning to yell at her daughter. "Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, you get back down to the living room this instant and accept that boy's offer!"

"Ever consider knocking, Mother?" Lorelai calmly turned the page.

"Do not change the subject on me! Do you know how much you have put your father and I through? We've finally come to terms with your pregnancy and we've even worked out the perfect solution. For once, Lorelai, think of someone other than yourself and quit being so stubborn!"

"I am thinking of someone else, Mother!" Lorelai put down her magazine and turned to her mother. "I'm thinking of Christopher who shouldn't be forced into a marriage with someone he doesn't love. I'm thinking of my baby who shouldn't have to grow up with people who don't want to be together."

"A child needs a mother _and_ a father, Lorelai. That's the way things work!"

"Not always! There's plenty of single parents out there, and their kids turn out just fine. All my baby needs is someone to love him or her, Mother. And I can do that. I can be a parent. I'm not a little girl anymore. I grew up the minute that stick turned pink. I can take care of myself _and_ my baby. Without Chris's help and without yours."

"Lorelai, this is not over. So help me God, you will walk down that aisle in a month." Having had her say, Emily turned on her heel and left.

Lorelai screamed in frustration and clenched her hands into fists, leaving deep grooves where her fingernails had dug into her palms. She turned to the side and a purple strap caught her eye. Lorelai knew she had to make a decision that could easily affect the rest of her life. She had grown up in the past five months. Was she ready to prove it?

Lorelai slowly rose from the bed and tugged her duffel bag out from under the pile of shoes in her closet. She looked at it once before making a final decision. Setting the bag on her bed, Lorelai locked the door to ensure herself some privacy. Lorelai then began to rummage through her dresser, taking out her favorite clothes. She only had a couple of maternity outfits, neither of which she liked, but she decided they were better than nothing. After laying the clothes in a pile on her bed, Lorelai opened the top drawer of her desk and pulled out the cash hidden there. She counted it. 207. Certainly not much, but maybe enough to live off of until she got on her feet. She sighed and tucked it in her wallet. She had known it wouldn't be easy.

An hour later, Lorelai finally managed to zip the duffel bag. It was smaller than she remembered. Or perhaps it only seemed smaller since she had not been packing for the rest of her life the last time she had used it. Lorelai glanced one last time around the room, ensuring she had not forgotten anything. Satisfied, she shouldered the duffel bag and realized how heavy it was. She did not know how she would lug it all the way to. . . wherever she was going. The strap cut into her shoulder, and she shifted the bag in discomfort. _'Oh well,'_ she thought, dropping the bag to the floor and shoving it under her bed. _'I'll just figure that out later.'_ Once the bag was safely concealed, she sat back on the bed to wait.

Richard and Emily went to bed at 10:30, as always. Although their punctuality often irked Lorelai, she was grateful for it that night. She waited until 11:00 so that she knew they were asleep before standing up quietly. Carefully, Lorelai placed the note she had written earlier on her pillow, arranging it so that her parents would see it when they came to find her. Just as silently, Lorelai shouldered her bag and tiptoed into her bathroom. The window opened without a sound; Lorelai had used it so much over the years that it no longer squeaked in protest. Maneuvering out of the window and onto the roof ledge was trickier with the duffel bag, but Lorelai finally managed to climb out and pull her bag out behind her. The roof creaked, a sound which cut through the night's stillness like a gunshot. Lorelai froze, expecting her parents to come storming into her room at any minute, ut they remained where they were. For the moment. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lorelai shut the window and followed the roof to the corner of the house, keeping her back to the wall as she crabwalked across. A large birch spread its branches onto the roof ledge at the corner, and Lorelai carefully climbed down it and landed with a soft thud in the grass below. She looked back at the side of the bleak, gray house where she had spend much of her childhood. She knew she should be sad, but it did not feel as if she was leaving her home. Home is where the heart is, and Lorelai's heart had never been in that house. It sill lurked somewhere, waiting for her to discover it. _'Might as well start walking now,' _she thought, walking across the yard and stepping out of her parents' influence forever.

Lorelai had been walking along the highway for about thirty minutes. It was pitch black, leaving her unable to see anything in front of her. Of course, light probably would not have helped Lorelai much. She had no idea where she was headed. She just wanted to be as far away from her parents as possible. She wanted to provide for herself and live life like she wanted. She wanted to prove she was strong and independent. To her parents and to herself.

A truck pulled over next to Lorelai. She sighed, assuming it was some sex-crazed forty-year-old who was looking to hook up. The driver rolled down the window, and Lorelai approached cautiously, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger. As she looked at the truck's driver, she stopped in her tracks. He looked to be around her age, maybe one or two years older, and he had brown hair that reached down to his ears. He wore a black baseball cap with the bill pointing to the back of his head and a blue flannel shirt. Lorelai's eyes moved to his face, and she noticed he was quite easy on the eyes. . . hot, actually. Her heart did a small somersault, and she silently cursed herself. _'Remember what happened with Chris. That's why you're in this situation in the first place,' _the voice in her head admonished.

Luke Danes could not believe his eyes. He had seen the girl struggling with her bag on the side of the road, and he could not just drive pat. His father had instilled a code of chivalry in him which he found impossible to breach. So, he had pulled off to the shoulder to offer the girl a ride. When he had first seen her face illuminated by the moonlight, he was speechless. The girl was beautiful. She had wavy brown hair which framed her delicate face, and her figure. . . well, Luke had trouble keeping his eyes off of it. _'Eaxy boy,' _he warned himself. _'You don't want to scare her off.' _ He forced himself to look at her face. "Do you need a ride?" he asked, attempting to quiet the stream of thoughts which ran through his head. Lorelai smiled. Luke noticed how nice her smile was; her teeth were brilliantly white and perfectly straight, and her eyes seemed to shine.

"Sure. That'd be great," Lorelai told him. "Mind if I throw this in the back?" She pointed to the duffel bag.

Luke shrugged. "Go ahead." Lorelai struggled for a minute, so Luke, ever the gentleman, slid out of the car to help her with it. With his help, she managed to lift it into the bed of the truck.

"Thanks." Lorelai smiled again. Luke thought he could definitely get used to that smile.

"No problem." As they both entered the car, Luke asked, "What did you have in that thing anyway?"

"Oh, you know, just clothes and stuff."

"Uh-huh." Luke turned the key in the ignition. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, I don't know. Where are you going?"

"Stars Hollow."

"Stars Hollow?"

"Yeah, it's a small town about 45 minutes from here. That's where I grew up."

"Sounds nice. I'll go there."

"You want to go to Stars Hollow?"

"Sure. Why not? It's not a nudist colony or something like that, right?"

"No, nothing like that," Luke assured her quickly. "It's just different from Hartford. A lot different." _'And I'm afraid of what I might do around you,' _he mentally added, glancing at her quickly. God, she was beautiful.

"Well, different's good. I need a change."

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you running from?"

"Would you like the long version or the short one?"

"Whatever one you want to tell."

"Well, I found out four months ago that I was pregnant." Lorelai paused and looked at Luke to see his reaction. His eyebrows shot up.

"Pregnant?" he asked, turning to her. "You certainly don't look pregnant."

"That's nice, but trust me, I am. Five months, actually. Anyway, I told my parents and Chris—that's the baby's father—told hi. They thought I should give up the baby for adoption, but I want to keep him or her. So my mother came up with other arrangements. Chris and I would get married at some elaborate wedding, and he'd go to work for my dad. I'd have the baby, and we'd raise it together, and we'd live happily ever after."

"Why didn't you do that?"

"I didn't want to marry someone I didn't love. And I also couldn't make that kind of commitment at sixteen. I refused which only made my mother angrier. So she convinced poor Chris to propose. Once again, I refused because I knew he didn't really want to get married. My mother had just twisted his mind until he thought that. So, of course, my mother was very pissed by this time. She started yelling at me about how I ruined everything, all her plans for me, and I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to live my own life, not the life my mother wanted for me. So I packed my bag and left. That's about where you come in."

"Wow." Luke was having a hard time digesting the story. A baby at sixteen? Most girls would gladly accept any help they could receive. "Umm. . . are you still in school?"

"Nah, I just got my GED. I didn't think I could work, take care of little no-name here, and still go to school."

"Yeah, that would be tough." Why did he sound like such an idiot? "I'm Luke, by the way. Luke Danes."

"Lorelai Gilmore." Lorelai wondered why she had told Luke everything she did. They had just met, and she knew nothing about him. He could be a rapist or a murderer, and she had willingly gotten into the car with him. She had completely disregarded every lesson she had learned in school about the dangers of strangers. As she looked at Luke, however, Lorelai somehow knew he was no murderer. His blue eyes seemed too trustworthy. He exuded honesty, and Lorelai felt comfortable with him, instinctively knowing nothing could happen to her when she was around him. Although it seem strange considering that she had just met him, for the first time in her life, Lorelai felt safe. "So, Luke Danes, how old are you?"

"Eighteen." Luke did not trust himself to say anything else, so an uncomfortable silence fell over the two.

"So, you're graduated then?" Lorelai finally asked.

"Yep. Just got my diploma."

"Any plans for college?"

"I was actually thinking of sticking around Stars Hollow. Helping my. . . dad with his shop."

Lorelai noticed the paused before he said the word "dad" and the crack in his voice. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just. . ." Should he tell her? After all, they had just met, and he did not want to divulge all the details of his private life. But she had told him about her life. "My dad was diagnosed with cancer a couple months ago. The doctors are afraid he doesn't have much longer to live." Luke's voice became quieter as he made the last statement.

"Oh, Luke, I'm so sorry. I always do this. I ask the wrong questions."

"No, it's okay. Really." He kept his eyes glued to the road, willing the tears not to fall. "You didn't know."

"Is there anything I can do?"

Luke chuckled softly. "We just met, and you already want to help me?"

"You gave me this ride."

"It was my pleasure." _'Watch it, Luke, that sounded a little forward.' _ "So, uh, where in Stars Hollow do you want to go?"

"I just need a job that pays."

"Well, there's an inn right outside of town."

"Dirty!"

"What?"

"Dirty. I told you I wanted a job, and you mentioned an inn."

Luke suddenly caught on. "Aw geez, that's not what I meant. I was going to say the inn needs a new maid."

"Oh, is that what they're called these days?" Lorelai giggled. Although it was dark, she knew Luke's face was turning red. "Is that why you picked me up?" she teased. "You just wanted to take me to some run-down inn and have your way?" She giggled again at his obvious discomfort.

"Lorelai, I was honestly just. . . trying to be nice. I didn't want. . . I wasn't even thinking about. . . well, you know." _'Actually, you were,' _the voice in his head reminded him.

Lorelai burst out laughing. "I was only kidding, Mr. Uptight."

"Oh, well, good," he said lamely.

"I mean, just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm easy. I guess if you asked in the right way. . ."

"Aw Geez," Luke repeated. Lorelai laughed.

Luke dropped Lorelai off at the inn a half hour later. "I'll see you around," she told him as he lifted her bag out of the back.

"I'll be here." He handed her the bag. "I'm usually at William's Hardware during the day, so if you need anything else. . ."

"Thank you. I'll remember that."

"No problem. I. . . well, bye."

"Bye, Luke." Lorelai watched as his truck drove away before turning to the inn in front of her. It looked very peaceful, surrounded by blooming trees and flowers which, though carefully tended, somehow still retained a wild appearance. The outside of the inn was wooden like the colonial homes Lorelai had seen in history books. It was rustic, but Lorelai found herself liking the building. She smiled to herself, knowing her mother would certainly never approve of the inn.


	2. Chapter 2

Lorelai walked into the lobby of the inn and looked around her with a smile. It was certainly nothing like any of the hotels she had stayed at with her mother. There were no bellhops waiting to open the car door for the guests and carry their luggage to their rooms. No fancy furniture with ornate carvings that Lorelai had always found a bit gaudy. No giant chandeliers suspended from the ceiling two floors above. Yet Lorelai instantly felt right at home. The couches were covered with floral-printed fabric which had faded over the years. Still, they appeared vastly more comfortable than the hard-seated sofas at other hotels whose beautifully-designed cushions refused to form to one's body. Small lamps sat on various tables, shedding a warm glow over the room. The paintings on the wall, though not Monet or Rembrandt, were still beautiful and added to the atmosphere in a way no expensive painting could.

"Can I help you, dear?" a female voice asked, directing Lorelai's attention to the front desk. The woman standing behind the door, who wore a nametag that read "Mia", had short, graying hair and hazel eyes. She looked to be in her late forties or early fifties with only a couple wrinkles in her ace. Her smile was pleasant, a definite plus in the business world, but she had an air about her that told Lorelai she still was dissatisfied and had not yet achieved everything she dreamed of.

"Actually, I would like a room." Lorelai pulled her wallet from her purse.

"And where are your parents, dear?"

"At home," Lorelai admitted.

"Look, dear, I hate to do this to you, but I can't give a room to a minor. It's the law." She seemed genuinely sad, so Lorelai decided to test her luck.

"Ma'am, you don't understand." Lorelai began to explain her circumstances which brought her to Stars Hollow to a stranger for the second time in less than an hour. She watched Mia's face change as she told the story, praying she would be allowed to stay. She had nowhere else to go.

When she finally finished, Mia looked at her curiously. "There's an old storage shed out back," she told Lorelai. "The key's in the ceramic turtle sitting beside the door. I use it to store old furniture, so I'm sure there's a bed in there, and linens are in the closet by the stairs. Be back here by 8:00 tomorrow, and we can discuss job options."

"Thank you _so _much. You don't understand how much this means to me." Lorelai wanted to hug her, but she restrained herself and left the room. She easily found the storage shed a few yards away from the main inn. Her hands felt around for the turtle for a moment before brushing over its shell. Lifting it off the ground, Lorelai extracted the key and used it to open the door. The room was small, around twenty feet on all sides, and it was cluttered with furniture. An old sofa had been shoved into one corner. It had a large hole through the fabric in the back, allowing the yellowing stuffing to show through. Surrounding it was an old recliner, two rocking chairs, and four broken and tables. A few lamps had been haphazardly tossed onto the pile of furniture. Many of them had ripped shades or cracked bases. Two old dressers were also pushed against the same wall, so close that the drawers would not open. Lorelai noticed a large gouge in the wood of one which ran the length of the dresser. A couple old rugs had been rolled up and placed on their ends beside the dressers. Two beds had been crowded into the remaining corner, a few feet from the door. Looking at them, Lorelai suddenly realized she had forgotten to find the bed sheets. She considered going back, but she was too tired to care. She set her duffel bag on the floor in the only remaining free space and dug through it until she found her alarm clock. She set it near the bed before collapsing onto the soft mattress and falling almost instantly asleep.

The alarm rang at 7:00 the following morning, a loud, insistent beeping that greatly annoyed Lorelai. She swatted at it and missed, slamming her hand into something hard. Groaning, she opened her eyes and saw that her hand was a few feet from the alarm clock—right next to an old bookshelf. Lorelai quickly scrambled into a sitting position, unable to recognize any of the furniture. It took her a minute to remember where she was, and she sighed in relief. She was okay. She was far, far away from her parents and their attempts to control her life. Carefully, she placed a hand over her stomach and felt a reassuring kick. "It's just me and you now, id," she whispered. The baby kicked again, eliciting a smile from Lorelai. "I hope you're right."

Lorelai entered the lobby around 7:45 and found it much more lively than it was the previous night. Mia still stood behind the counter, wearing her large smile as she gave directions to a young couple. A man in his early forties sat on the couch reading the paper, reminding Lorelai of her own father. From the dining room, the click of silverware told Lorelai that it was breakfast time. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she had not eaten since the night before. She forced her mind to focus on something other than food, deciding she could eat later. The young couple had left, so she approached Mia. "Lorelai. It's good to see you again," Mia greeted, stepping out from behind the desk and motioning a young woman over to take her place. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very. I want to thank you again for letting me stay in the shed."

Mia waved the thanks off. "It's no problem, dear. I'm not using that old place for anything anyway. You're welcome to stay there as long as you like. Free of charge."

"Really?" Lorelai's face lit up.

"Of course dear. You need somewhere to go, and I know it's not ideal, but it has a roof and a bed."

"It's perfect. Thank you!" This time, Lorelai did not resist the urge to hug Mia. She wrapped her arms tightly around the lady who she already felt more kinship toward than her own mother.

"You're welcome, dear. And feel free to get rid of any of that junk. I can give you the number of someone who would probably haul it to the dump for free."

"That's okay, Mia. I know who would do it." Lorelai grinned.

"Well, good then, that's settled. Now, I am in need of a maid. What do you think about housekeeping?"

"I have no experience, but I've certainly been around plenty of maids in my life. I'm willing to learn."

"Today will be your training day then. Let's go." Mia led her up a staircase to the rooms.

Luke walked into his father's study and saw him wearily looking through the ledger which listed the repairs he needed to complete. Ever since his chemotherapy began, it seemed like William Danes was always tired. He could barely move at times, and Luke saw his pained expression when he tried to walk. He had far too many wrinkles for fifty-four, and only a few stray hairs remained on his head. His green eyes seemed more hollow, and the sparkle that Luke had once seen in them had died. William was wasting away before Luke's eyes, but the older man did not seem to care. He seemed prepared to die. "Dad, I'll finish here and close up if you want to go home and get some rest," Luke offered.

"Thank you, son." William's thin, frail body shook with effort as he rose to his feet. Normally, he would have refused his son's offer, too proud to admit weakness, but his pride had dwindled away with his strength. "I'll see you shortly." Luke watched as his father hobbled out of the office and down the stars, pausing to catch his breath in the middle of his descent. Luke knew his father was dying, and he hated watching helplessly as it happened. He did not know if he could bear losing another parent.

"Luke!" a voice called from downstairs, dragging him from his reverie. It was a female voice. It took Luke a moment to place it. _'Lorelai,' _he thought, unable to suppress a smile, remembering her beautiful blue eyes, her wavy brown hair, her. . . _'Stop it, Danes. You shouldn't be fantasizing about her. She's pregnant for Christ's sake. She has no feelings for you. . . But she did come over here.' _ Luke closed his eyes briefly to clear his mind before walking down the stairs.

"Lorelai, what can I help you with?" he questioned, trying unsuccessfully to keep his eyes on her face. He noticed that her clothes hugged her figure tightly.

"Well, I have a favor to ask. Do you think I could borrow your truck for a couple hours?" Lorelai looked at him pleadingly. He seemed even better looking in the light. He was still wearing a flannel shirt, and Lorelai found herself wondering what it was concealing. Large biceps, perhaps? Or possibly a six pack. . .

"What do you need that truck for?" Luke could not believe he was seriously considering giving her the keys. He loved his truck and never let anyone except his dad even touch it. But something about her face made him want to do anything for her.

"Mia's letting me stay in the old storage shed. But there's a lot of broken furniture and stuff I don't need, so she said I could take it to the dumpster."

"Do you know how to drive a stick?"

"Dirty!" She giggled.

"Aw geez, why do I keep setting myself up for that?"

"I can learn how to drive it."

"Not in my truck!"

"Come on, it can't be that hard. Please!" She stuck her bottom lip out. Luke sighed, knowing that he could not refuse that face.

"Give me ten minutes."

"Why?"

"I need to close up so I can drive you back to the inn to pick up your stuff."

"Thank you, thank you, Luke! You're the best!" She hugged him excitedly, and he blushed deeply. When she pulled away, he quickly turned away to start closing.

"I don't know how you planned on doing this by yourself," Luke grumbled forty-five minutes later as he threw the third end table into the back of his truck.

"I wouldn't have. I could've made one of the waiters do it. I heard them talking this morning." Lorelai leaned over conspiratorially. "They think I have a cute butt."

"Aw geez!"

"You really like that phrase."

"Force of habit, I guess." He shrugged. "What next?"

"That dresser over there."

Luke eyed the dresser carefully. "I won't be able to lift that by myself."

"Well you can't expect me to help. It might hurt little no-name here." Lorelai placed her hands over her stomach where a bulge was just beginning to form. Luke sighed.

"I'll go ask the waiters."

"Good man. And tell whichever one comes that I will drop something so I can slowly bend over for his enjoyment." Luke shook his head at Lorelai's statement. He had no idea why he was helping her, but he felt drawn to her. Despite how uncomfortable he sometimes felt, he was happy around her.

"You wanna come in for awhile?" Lorelai asked when they returned to the inn after dropping the furniture off at the dump. She cursed herself silently, hoping he would not take the comment the wrong way.

"Why? So I can move the rest of your furniture around?" he teased. His heart leapt when she invited him in, but his head reminded him that she was simply being friendly.

"Nah, I can get you to come over tomorrow to do that." Okay, that was definitely a bit flirty.

"What makes you think I'll agree?"

"My amazing powers of persuasion."

Luke had to admit, she did have amazing powers of persuasion. He would have done anything she asked. "Maybe I'll come in for a couple minutes."

"Good." She led him into the small shed. "Anything to drink."

"A Coke or something's fine."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

"Wait. Where are you going?"

"To the inn to get your drink."

"I thought you had drinks here."

"The fridge is broken."

"Oh. I'll just have water then."

"I'll still have to go to the inn."

"Why?"

"No running water."

"You're living out here with no running water?"

"It _is_ a storage shed."

"So, where do you take a shower?"

"At the inn. It's really not that bad."

"Yes, it is. I'm getting you plumbing."

"But Luke-"

"No but Luke's. I'm doing it. End of story." Luke wondered why he was so insistent on providing plumbing for Lorlai. _'Because you like her, you idiot,'_ the voice reminded him. Oh yeah. . .

"Luke." He looked at her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Now, I'll be right back with that soda."

"You're late," William observed when Luke walked into the apartment they shared. Luke checked his watch as he sat on the couch beside his father.

"I was helping Mia's new maid move a few things."

"This new maid wouldn't happen to be a beautiful brunette that I saw walking into the store as I was leaving, would it?"

"That's the one."

"You have good taste, son." Luke grinned sheepishly. "So, what's her name?"

"Lorelai. Lorelai Gilmore," Luke told him, loving the sound of it.

Lorelai was straightening the books in the inn's lobby when she noticed look across the room, shifting from one foot to the other. He caught her eye and walked over. "Hi!" she greeted.

"Hey. I uh. . . thought you got off work around this time, so I came to see aout plumbing like we talked about yesterday."

"Sure. Let me just finish this shelf and then I'll be done for the day."

"Okay." He watched as she set a couple books on their ends. His eyes traveled lower, and he noticed that the waiters were right. She did have a nice butt. . .

"All done!" Lorelai exclaimed, spinning around. Luke's eyes immediately snapped back to her face. He felt his ears grow hot.

"Okay, well, I guess we should. . . go."

"Yeah. Let me just go tell Mia."

"Actually, I'll come with you. I need to ask Mia something."

Luke and Lorelai entered the shed a couple minutes later. Luke was carrying a diagram of the inn's water lines which he spread out over the coffee table. The table leaned to one side, threatening to collapse. "Geez, is everything out here broken?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah! That's why it's out here."

"Well, I guess I'll have a few more projects than I thought."

"Luke, you really don't have to."

"Sure I do." He smiled at her.

"Well, if you insist." Lorelai returned the smile, thinking of how nice it would be to have Luke's company.

Luke began work on Lorelai's plumbing the next day. She tried to help, but Luke still ended up doing most of the work. At times, Lorelai would sit back and watch him. He had rolled up his sleeves to reveal his well-toned arms, an attribute Lorelai could not help but admire. She smiled to herself. Plumbing was turning out to be one of her favorite pastimes.

Friday found Lorelai and Luke in the hardware store, searching for a toilet, shower head, and sink. Lorelai immediately found her favorite toilet. "I like that one," she announced, pointing.

"It's pink," Luke grumbled.

"So? I'm a girl. I like pink."

"I'm not installing a pink toilet."

"It's my house. Well, technically, it's Mia's. And it's a shed. But I'm living there!"

"No pink! End of story!"

"Meany." Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him, and he rolled his eyes.

In the end, Lorelai ended up buying a white toilet since it was the cheapest one they had. She also passed up the sink with butterflies after Luke pointed out the price. Luke had finished in another week. Instead of walls, a cheap shower curtain surrounded the toilet and another the shower. Luke had tiled one corner of the floor for the shower, placing an edge around it and a drain in the center (he had eventually caved and allowed Lorelai to buy pink tiles after she pointed out that they were cheaper). Once finished, he collapsed onto the couch Lorelai had patched up with one of his old flannel shirts.

"Yay! It flushes!" Lorelai called from the "bathroom."

"Did you think it wouldn't?"

"No, I never doubted you. It's just nice to see something I built work."

"_You _built? You handed me tools!"

"A job which requires immense amounts of heavy lifting."

"You're impossible!"

"And you're crabby." Lorelai sat beside him with a soda in her hand. He looked over at her. Her stomach was slowly growing, and it was easier to see that she was pregnant. However, the bump did not seem to detract from her beauty; in fact, it enhanced it. Pregnancy fit her. "What're you looking at?" Lorelai inquired.

"N-nothing." Luke quickly focused his attention back on drinking his soda.

"Uh huh." Lorelai took a sip of her soda. "Hey, I was thinking we should do something fun tomorrow. You know, to celebrate our great plumbing skills."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

"I don't know. I thought I'd let you choose."

Luke thought for a minute. He wanted to do something he knew she would enjoy. He liked seeing her happy, watching her smile. So he needed to come up with the perfect activity. "I have an idea," he finally declared.

"Really? What is it?" she asked, as eager as a small child.

Well, you'll just have to wait and see."

"How long?"

"Tomorrow. 4:00. Sound good?"

"I get off at 4:00. Make it 4:30 and we've got a date."

"4:30 it is."

Luke's truck pulled up in front of the shed at exactly 4:30 the next day. A tarp covered the items in the back of the truck. Lorelai stared at it, trying to discern shapes underneath it. "Give it up, Lorelai," Luke told her. "You'll know soon enough. Just let it be a surprise."

"And ruin the fun?"

"The fun part is not knowing beforehand so you can be surprised."

"No, the fun part is guessing the surprise beforehand so you can brag about how smart you are."

"Impossible," Luke muttered under his breath.

"I heard that!" Lorelai told him, feigning offense.

"Good." He grinned and opened the door for her. "Now get in."

"Yes, sir." Lorelai saluted him and stepped into the truck. He walked around the front and slid into the driver's seat. As he turned the key in the ignition, Lorelai reached for the radio.

"What are you doing?" he questioned. Her hand stopped.

"Turning on the radio."

"Why?"

"Well, I don't know how long and boring this car ride will be."

"We're not going that far."

"Radio's good for short trips, too."

"You didn't turn on the radio a couple weeks ago when I picked you up."

"That's because I didn't know you. Music might've made you pull a John Nash and start banging your head against the steering wheel and stuff."

"Have you ever known anyone to go crazy listening to music?"

"No, but it could happen." She pressed the button and a woman with a thick Southern accent began singing. Lorelai smiled devilishly. "You like country."

Luke's ears went red. "I listen to it once in awhile. That doesn't mean I like it."

"Lukey has a guilty pleasure."

"It is not a guilty pleasure! And don't call me that!"

"Do you secretly practice your Southern accent at home? Maybe throw a few ain'ts and ya'lls into everyday conversation to see how it sounds."

"We're done now," Luke told her, switching off the radio.

"Don't worry, I can provide my own." Lorelai began to sing. "Blame it all on my roots. I showed up in boots. And ruined your black tie affair."

"Lorelai," Luke growled. Despite his anger, he noticed that Lorelai had a nice voice. He did enjoy listening to it.

"I was the last one to know, the last one to show. I was the last one you thought you'd see there."

"Drop it, Lorelai."

"Never. I saw the surprise. . ."

When Luke stopped the truck thirty minutes later, Lorelai was still singing country songs. "We're here," he told her irritably.

"You're right, that didn't take long," she said brightly, hopping out of the truck.

"Speak for yourself." Luke joined her as she surveyed the land surrounding them. They were in a small clearing surrounded on all sides by large trees. Since it was summer, the sun still shone brightly overhead. Lorelai could see it reflecting off a small stream deeper in the woods.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"It is nice," Luke admitted. "Peaceful. Quiet." His eyes narrowed as he looked at Lorelai.

"So, what are we doing here?"

"Camping." Luke pulled the tarp out of the back of his jeep, revealing the items underneath. He pulled out the large tent and carried it to the middle of the clearing. "You're going to have to help me set this up," he told Lorelai.

"But I know nothing about tents!"

"It's not that hard. I'll teach you."

"That's what you said about plumbing."

"Just grab that end and pull."

"Dirty."

"Aw geez, Lorelai, just help."

An hour later, Luke and Lorelai sat around a small fire. Luke had brought hot dogs; he impaled one with a stick and offered it to Lorelai. "No," she said.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Lorelai Gilmore would refuse food."

"I'm not refusing to eat it. I'm just refusing to cook it. I might drop it."

"You won't drop it."

"What if I do?"

Luke sighed. "Then I'll get you another one."

"Could I have yours?"

"You wouldn't like mine."

"Why not?"

"It's tofu."

"Blech. Why would you get a tofu hot dog?"

"So I don't clog my arteries and die by forty-five."

"Hey! I plan on holding out until at least forty-six!"

"Just take this slow death on a stick."

"If I'm going to die early, I might as well enjoy life." She took the hot dog from Luke and held it over the fire. A twig snapped nearby, and Lorelai dropped the skewer in fright. "What was that?"

"Probably just an animal or something." Luke looked back at the fire. "Lorelai, your hot dog!" She turned and saw the flaming hot dog. Instinctively, she reached for the end of the skewer without realizing it, too, was on fire. With a yelp of pain, she pulled her hand away. "Are you okay?" Luke asked, rushing to her side.

"Yeah. I think I just burned my hand." She winced as he gingerly lifted the hand. He led her to the small stream behind their camp and placed her hand in the water. The pain lessened considerably as the cool water rushed over her flesh, and Lorelai smiled at Luke gratefully. "Much better. Thank you."

"No problem." He lifted her hand out of the water but retained his light grip on it.

"You can let go now."

"Oh, er. . . right." Luke quickly dropped her hand. "Unfortunately, I think you're going to have a blister there tomorrow."

"It'll go away."

"Yeah, I guess it will." They stood staring at each other for a moment. Luke marveled at the reflection of the settling sun in her brilliant blue eyes. Her perfect figure was silhouetted by the fading light, enhancing its beauty.

Lorelai finally broke the stare, afraid of the emotions running through her body. She was certainly attracted to Luke. He was sweet, generous, a great handyman. . . and he had a great body. He was not wearing his customary flannel, and his t-shirt clearly revealed his impressive musculature. But Lorelai could not be attracted to Luke. She did not need a boyfriend; she needed to be able to provide for her unborn child. She could not think about herself and therefore could not like Luke as more than a friend "I'm still hungry," she said.

Luke was disappointed when Lorelai broke eye contact, but he still forced a smile. "Maybe I should cook the hot dog this time."

"Maybe you should." Lorelai followed him back to the campfire, and they sat on logs facing each other as they had before. Both teens continued to steal furtive glances at each other, but their eyes never met.

After Lorelai had her fill of hot dogs (six), Luke pulled out a bag of marshmallows. "Are those what I think they are?" Lorelai asked.

"They are if you're thinking ground up horse hooves coated in sugar that will rot your teeth out in a few years."

"You take all the fun out of eating," Lorelai told him, popping a marshmallow in her mouth despite her statement. "You're just a funsucker."

"Funsucker?" Luke raised his eyebrows.

"Yep. Funsucker."

"Interesting choice of words."

"It's perfectly appropriate. Fun-sucker." She drew each syllable out.

"Okay, you can stop saying that now."

"Funsucker! Funsucker! Funsucker!"

"You sound like a two-year-old."

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Okay, I'm not playing this game!"

"Funsucker!" Lorelai threw the gooey marshmallow she had been cooking at him. It exploded when it hit his chest, sending sticky residue across the front of his shirt.

"Hey! I liked this shirt!"

"Well, I guess you'll just have to retaliate then." Lorelai held up her stick which still held one marshmallow. "Or are you too much of a funsucker?"

Without warning, Luke reached around the fire and smashed the marshmallow into her face. She laughed as she licked most of the melted marshmallow off. Luke admired her pink tongue for a minute, noticing the smooth movement of the muscle. _'You've got to stop it, Danes,' _the voice in his head chastised. _'Judging breasts and butts, fine, no problem. But judging a girl's tongue seems slightly creepy.' _

"Oh, it's on," Lorelai told him as she speared two marshmallows onto her stick.

Thirty minutes later, they were both sitting around the fire once more. The sun had completely descended, so the flickering light of the fire provided the main source of illumination. After their marshmallow fight, they had washed up as best as they could in the stream; however, Lorelai still had strands of marshmallow filling in her hair, and Luke had large sticky spots on his clothing. He picked at them, wondering if marshmallow would actually wash out of clothing. "Let's play Truth or Dare," Lorelai announced suddenly.

"What?" Luke's eyes narrowed.

"Truth or Dare," Lorelai said simply. He continued to stare at her blankly, and her eyes widened. "Oh my god, you've never played Truth or Dare before?"

"Never really saw a point."

"The point is finding out about people's deep, dark secrets and making them do stupid stuff."

"While you also have to revel secrets that nobody should know and do stupid, pointless crap! There's no point!"

"Of course there is. I'll go first. Truth or Dare?"

"I'm not playing this stupid game."

"Of course you are," Lorelai said matter-of-factly. He continued to stare at her with narrowed eyes. Lorelai's eyes widened pleadingly, and her bottom lip jutted out. "Please," she begged. He turned his gaze from her, trying desperately not to consent.

"Fine," he muttered, wondering how she could have such an effect on him. Simply being around her made him feel like agreeing to anything.

"Victory!" She threw her fists in the air, eliciting an eye-roll from him. "So, we return again to the ever important question," she announced in a serious tone after her celebrating was over. "Truth. . . or dare?"

"I don't know," Luke sighed. "Truth, I guess."

"Okay, now I have to think up a good question." She was quiet for a moment before a small smile spread across her face. "I think I've got the perfect question."

"I'm not going to like this much, am I?"

"It doesn't matter if you like it or not, you still have to answer. Truthfully. Now, how many girls have you slept with?"

Luke's face turned beet red. He was not comfortable discussing his sex life or lack thereof with Lorelai. . . especially since she seemed so much more experienced than he was. He imagined her laughing at his pathetic love life and smiling at him patronizingly, telling him he would find someone someday. Someone. Someday. Luke hated those two words. People might as well just say, "You're a loser, and nobody wants you." Luke rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously and looked at Lorelai who was obviously waiting for an answer. "Could I have an. . . easier question?" he asked finally.

"Come on, it's not that bad. Unless there's so many you can't count them all."

"Trust me, I don't have that problem," Luke muttered quietly.

"Luke, just give me a number. It can be a ballpark estimate if you want. You know, like one dozen, two dozen."

"Geez, Lorelai, who do you think I am? Hugh Heffner?"

"I don't really know. That's why I'm asking."

"Well, for your information, I don't jump into bed with every girl I meet."

"You did suggest that inn when we met." She giggled.

"Geez, would you let that go?"

"Well, someone's sensitive." Luke glared at her. "Okay, fine, not Hugh Heffner. Got it. So, more like five or six then."

"Lower," Luke grumbled, unable to believe what he was saying.

"Four?" Luke shook his head. "Three?" Another head shake. "Two?" Luke was still shaking his head. "One?" Luke took a deep breath, steeling himself, before shaking his head a final time. "Wait, I've run out of numbers. Unless. . . you've never slept with anyone?" Her voice rose slightly at the end of the sentence, asking a question. Slowly, he nodded, watching her face to judge her reaction. She was silent for a moment, processing everything. Finally, she asked, "So, you're a virgin?"

"That's typically what not having sex means, yeah." He was irritable, waiting for her to begin teasing him. He knew his hopes of asking her out had disappeared. She would want to be with someone more experienced.

"Wow," Lorelai said softly. "I never expected that." She looked at him. "So, did you ever. . . you know. . . think about it?"

Luke was still mortified by the discussion, but he was happy she was not teasing him, so he decided to answer truthfully. "I guess. I mean, I only had one serious girlfriend in high school, but I did think we might. . . do it. But it never felt right. So I waited. Obviously, she wasn't a big fan of the whole waiting thing though. I found out in the middle of my senior year that she was sleeping with some guy on the football team. I almost punched him when I found out--he was a running back, so he wasn't too big—but I realized I didn't care because I didn't love her." Luke finished his story quietly and stared at a rock a few feet in front of him. Lorelai was also quiet, for she was thinking about what he had just said. After a few seconds, her eyes involuntarily sought out his face, and she smiled.

"So, what was her name?" Lorelai questioned finally.

"Anna."

"Kind of plain. Amish-sounding almost."

"Well, we do live in a small town," Luke added, happy to be discussing anything but his sex life.

"Yes, but we haven't done any good barn-raising lately."

"I wouldn't mention that to Taylor. He'd probably turn it into some stupid festival." Luke grimaced at the thought of the town Selectman, Taylor Doose, who owned a grocery store near his father's store. At forty-five, Taylor's hair had already begun to turn gray and thin. He was a stickler for rules and took his job as selectman very seriously (too seriously, in Luke's opinion). He was constantly thinking up "fun" town activities and new ways to attract tourists.

"Probably. I don't think he has a festival for August yet." They both laughed. "So, it's your turn," Lorelai told him. "Ask if I want truth or dare."

"Why? Can't you just tell me which one you want?"

"Nope. You have to ask. It's part of the game."

"Fine. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Lorelai declared happily.

Luke thought for a moment. "So, how many guys have you. . . you know. . . been with."

"Luke, I just asked you that question."

"So?"

"So, you can't ask me the same question I asked you! It's against the rules."

"What rules?"

"The rules of Truth or Dare!"

"Since when does Truth or Dare have rules?"

"Since forever, duh! Now, just ask a different question."

"All right." Luke was quiet for a minute before asking. "So why did you and. . . ummm. . ." He gestured to her stomach.

"Christopher," Lorelai supplied.

"Yeah. Why did you guys. . . er. . . sleep together if you didn't love him."

"I guess you just hit the proverbial nail right on the head."

"Huh?"

"I've been asking myself that question a lot actually. I certainly wasn't ready for this kind of commitment." Her hand patted her stomach. "But at the time, I wasn't really thinking about love. Chris and my relationship was very. . . physical. We didn't talk much. Mostly, we just enjoyed doing things neither of our parents would approve of. We used to sneak alcohol all the time and sit on the back porch drinking it because we thought it was cool. I think we had sex for the same reason. It seemed like the cool thing to do, and I was definitely defying my parents. Now, though, I wish I could take it all back. I shouldn't have had sex. I wasn't ready. I shouldn't have gone so far with someone I didn't love."

"You know, it's not such a bad thing. If you never. . . had sex, we wouldn't be here right now," Luke pointed out. _'Okay, Danes, that was flirting.' _

"I guess you're right." The corners of her mouth slowly turned up into a smile. Luke blushed furiously. "And for the record, Luke, that one time with Christopher was my only time." He smiled, too, and Lorelai felt her stomach begin to do somersaults. She loved his smile; it softened his usually gruff face considerably. For the second time that night, she found herself staring into his bright blue eyes. After a couple minutes of silence, she tore her gaze away and cleared her throat loudly. "Okay, my turn again. Truth or dare?"

The spell had bee broken, and his brusque manner resurfaced. "Do we really have to keep playing? Haven't you had enough fun torturing me yet?"

"Definitely not. Now, truth or dare?"

"Dare, I guess."

"I was hoping you would say that." Lorelai smiled slyly. "I dare you to jump in the spring over there. Naked."

"What?"

"I dare you to go skinny dipping."

"No."

"Luke, it's a dare. You have to do it."

"No, I don't. It's ridiculous! I'll freeze my ass off in there."

"It's the end of July. It's like seventy degrees out."

"Not in the water."

"Luke, the water will be fine. And no one else is around," she continued, anticipating his next objection. "Except me, of course. But I can't watch."

"There's no way in hell I'm stripping in the middle of the forest."

"Fine. You can wear your boxers."

"No."

"Oh, come on! They're just like swimming trunks."

"Except that they're not. They're boxers."

"Do they have something embarrassing on them?" Lorelai asked. "Maybe pink hearts or teddy bears? Because those would ruin your macho appearance."

"If I do this, will you shut up?"

"For awhile at least."

"Fine." Luke pulled off his t-shirt, revealing a tighter white undershirt. Lorelai noticed how well it accented his muscles. As Luke pulled the second shirt over his head, Lorelai felt her jaw hit the ground. Luke was extremely well built—even more so than Lorelai had imagined. He had large biceps and broad shoulders. Lorelai's eyes strayed lower to his tight stomach and visible abs; he had at least an eight pack. As Luke began to unbuckle his pants, Lorelai belatedly realized her mouth was still open and closed it hurriedly. She reluctantly tore her eyes from his body and brought them to his face. He still seemed slightly annoyed, but he pulled off his pants anyway, revealing his blue boxers.

"Aw, come on, what's so embarrassing about those?" Lorelai asked.

"What's embarrassing is that they're boxers and as such, shouldn't be seen."

"You know, the sooner you stop complaining and get in the water, the sooner your dare will be over."

"I can't wait." He followed her to the stream and watched as she gingerly dipped a foot in. She pulled back in a couple seconds, and he chuckled. "See, I told you it was cold."

"It's not _that_ cold. We washed up in here a little while ago, and you were fine."

"That's because I was actually wearing clothes," he grumbled, climbing slowly into the stream.

"You have boxers on."

"Okay, let me amend that. That's because last time I had clothing on that I would wear in public."

"Quit whining and get in there." Lorelai gave him a playful shove, and he instinctively reached for her to steady himself. She stumbled, too, and both ended up splashing into the stream, shrieking with laughter.

A few minutes later, Lorelai was sitting next to the campfire, dripping wet. Luke joined her with a towel around his shoulders and handed her a second towel. She looked at it with a smile. "You know, you would make a great boyscout. Always prepared."

"I already am. I'm getting a new merit badge tomorrow," he joked.

"Good for you! I knew you could do it!" Lorelai dried her face and hair before wrapping the towel around her body tightly.

"Okay, truth or dare?" Luke inquired. Lorelai raised an eyebrow.

"For a guy who didn't want to play this game, you seem to be getting into it."

"Once you get used to it, it's not that bad."

"And this newfound passion for Truth or Dare has nothing to do with the fact that it's your turn, huh?"

"Maybe a little. Now, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to eat a tofu hot dog." He skewered one and began to cook it. Lorelai made a face and wrinkled her nose.

"Ewww, gross. No."

"A deal's a deal. I did my dare, now you have to do yours."

"You are cruel, Luke Danes. A true sadist."

"I'm not making you jump in any streams in your underwear."

"I would gladly do that for my dare."

"Which is why you're eating this hot dog."

"Do I really have to eat all of it?"

"Every last bite."

"I let you wear your underwear."

"Fine. You can have ketchup." He passed her the bottle as he continued to turn the hot dog slowly over the fire. After a couple minutes, he placed it in a bun and handed it to her. "Enjoy."

"If I throw up, I'm blaming you."

"You won't throw up. It's not poison. Just a hot dog."

"A _tofu _hot dot." Lorelai covered it with ketchup and took a deep breath. She brought the offending food to her mouth and stared at it suspiciously. Still holding her breath, she slowly took a bite. Her face contorted in disgust as she chewed, and she swallowed it quickly, reaching for her soda to take a long sip. "That's disgusting," Lorelai told Luke. "How do you eat this crap?"

"It's not so bad once you get used to it. Now, hurry up."

"Meany." She stuck her tongue out at him before taking a second bite of the hot dog. In no time at all, she had finished the entire tofu dog and a can of soda. She belched loudly and wiped her mouth. "Excuse me."

"That's very lady-like of you," Luke commented sarcastically.

Lorelai laughed. "You know, my mother would lecture me for about an hour if she heard me do that. Especially if it was in front of al her DAR friends."

"DAR?"

Lorelai laughed again. "Daughters of the American Revolution. It's like a club for rich women who have nothing better to do with their lives than sitting at home and gossiping. My mother was pushing me to join once I graduated, but the whole pregnancy thing kinda ruined that plan. Not that I care. The DAR isn't really for me. I want to do something meaningful with my life and be able to provide for myself and my kid. The DAR just isn't. . . fulfilling."

So, what does your dad do?"

"He works in the insurance business. He was gone a lot when I was growing up. I always loved to hear about the exotic places he was going to. I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. I wanted to be able to say, 'I'm going to Dusseldorf on Friday' or 'I have an important meeting in Geneva.'"

"What changed?"

"This." Lorelai pointed to her stomach. "I realized I didn't want to be the kind of parent who just left her kid with a nanny so she could go wherever. I wanted to watch my kid grow up and be there every step of the way. I don't want my kid to have the relationship I had with my mom with me. I want him or her to be able to talk to me about anything. And if that means I can't go to Dusseldorf or Geneva or any places like that, so be it. I want to have my priorities straight."

"You know, I think you're going to make a good mother."

"I hope so." Lorelai stared into the dancing flames for a few minutes. "Maybe we should be getting to bed," she finally announced.

"Sounds good to me." He walked to his truck and found the two sleeping bags he had brought. He carried them both into the tent and set one beside Lorelai before unrolling the other. Lorelai examined her sleeping bag carefully before unrolling it and crawling inside. "Night, Luke," she said as she started to drift off to sleep.

"Night, Lorelai."


	3. Chapter 3

When Lorelai woke up the next morning, the first thing she noticed was something sharp poking into her hip. She opened her eyes and panicked for a second when she saw the fabric of the tent instead of her bedroom. Her brain soon caught up, however, and she climbed out of her sleeping bag, still rubbing her sore hip. Her nose immediately smelled food, and she exited the tent to find Luke holding a frying pan with sizzling bacon over the fire. Two plastic plates with eggs sat beside him. "Smells good," Lorelai said.

"Oh, hey." Luke turned around and smiled at her. "I thought I'd make us some breakfast before we headed back into town."

"Well, you know I'll never refuse food. But there's something missing." Luke smiled and pulled out a coffee mug. He had discovered her obsession soon after they met and found that he was often more welcome when carrying coffee. "Now it's perfect," Lorelai said, taking the mug from him.

He rolled his eyes. "One of these days, all this caffeine will come back to haunt you." As usual, his criticisms fell on deaf ears.

"Well, I guess I'm lucky it's not one of those days then." Lorelai took a large gulp of the coffee as Luke placed the sizzling strips of bacon on the plate and handed it to her. "You don't want any bacon?" Lorelai asked, offering her plate.

"You mean those grease-filled slices of a dead pig that will clog your arteries and lead to a heart attack? No thanks."

"Suit yourself." They began to eat in silence, each determinedly keeping their eyes on their food. When they finished, Luke threw the plates in a garbage bag he had brought before crawling into the tent to roll up his sleeping bag. In no time at all, his sleeping bag was sitting in the corner, neatly rolled. He glanced over at Lorelai who seemed to be struggling. She had folded the sleeping bag in half and had begun to roll it, but it was so slick that it became unfolded and ended up looking as if she had simply shoved it into a ball. Lorelai gave an exasperated sigh as she shook the sleeping bag flat again rather violently. Luke smiled and walked over to her.

"Need some help?"

"What I need is for Ben to cooperate!"

"Ben?"

"The sleeping bag."

"You named the sleeping bag?"

"Of course. You can't sleep on something if it doesn't have a name."

"It's an inanimate object!"

"So?"

Luke looked at her serious face. "You're crazy," he muttered under his breath.

She smiled. "I get that a lot."

"I'm sure you do. Now, do you want my help or not?"

"Sure. Maybe you can whip Ben into submission." She giggled. "That sounded-"

"Dirty, I know." Luke knelt down beside her and folded the sleeping bag once more. "Now, just start rolling and keep it as tight as possible," he instructed, helping her to start. She carefully rolled the sleeping bag forward with Luke stopping to correct it occasionally. When she finished, he put a strap around it and tossed both sleeping bags into his truck. Next, he turned to the tent. "Ok, you're gonna have to help me with this," he told Lorelai.

"Luke, if I didn't know how to put up a tent, what makes you think I know how to take one down?"

"You'll learn. Now help."

Luke dropped Lorelai off at the inn about an hour later. "That was fun," she told him as she opened the door. "We should do something again next weekend."

"I guess." Luke tried to sound nonchalant. After all, she was not exactly asking him on a date. She had never even mentioned the word date.

"Okay. I'll see you around then."

"Yeah. See ya!" Lorelai waved as his truck pulled away and drove off.

Lorelai was dusting the furniture in the lobby the following Wednesday when she heard a wolf whistle behind her. She turned to see a man in his early twenties staring at her. He was decent looking, but his eyes were red and bloodshot, and he reeked of alcohol. "Can I help you with something?" she asked.

"Actually, I think you can." His eyes roved over her body, lingering briefly on her rounded stomach.

"Let me rephrase that. Can I help you with something _legal,_ sir?" He gave no answer, and Lorelai began to lose her temper. "Hey, buddy, my eyes are up here."

His eyes leisurely made their way to her face, and Lorelai stared at him for a moment. There was something oddly familiar about his green eyes and narrow face. Lorelai knew she had seen him before. "Digger?" she finally asked.

"Actually, I prefer Jason." A glint appeared in his eyes. "So, Lorelai Gilmore, tell me, what do your parents think of your new. . . profession?" digger's father had been friends with Richard Gilmore for years. Though the two grew up together, they were never on the best of terms. Digger had decided to pull the heads off of all Lorelai's dolls when she was three, and their relationship had spiraled downward from there. When he had left for college four years before, Lorelai was happy to see him go. He represented everything she had tried so hard to run away from. He had a business degree from Yale and was currently working at the same firm as Richard. Lorelai remembered how proud Richard was of Digger, a large contrast to his feelings for Lorelai.

"I don't really give a damn what my parents think. I'm done with them. I'm done with that world. You, on the other hand. . ." Lorelai's eyes traveled over his perfectly tailored suit which was slightly wrinkled.

"I, on the other hand, know what's good for me. I'm not going to run from a great opportunity. No matter what the circumstances." His eyes rested again on her stomach. Lorelai glared at him.

"Digger, you can't even begin to understand the circumstances."

"Oh, really? Perhaps you should tell me more about them. Maybe over dinner?"

Lorelai laughed. "Yeah, right."

"You're refusing me?"

"Yeah, Digger, I'm refusing you."

"You can't refuse me."

"Sure I can. You're drunk, and you don't have the best personality in the world."

"Aw, come on, Lorelai. You know you want to." He grabbed her arm, but she shook his hand off.

"No, I don't. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work."

"You won't get rid of me so easily," he told her before leaving. She sighed and continued her dusting.

After work, Lorelai decided to take a trip to William's Hardware. The bell above the door rang as she walked in, and the man behind the counter looked up. Lorelai immediately noticed how weary he seemed. "Can I help you with something?"

"Actually, I was looking for Luke."

"He stepped out for a few minutes. He should be back shortly." The man looked at her curiously. "You wouldn't happen to be Lorelai, would you?"

"Actually, I am. How did you know that?"

"My son talks a lot about you."

"So you must be Luke's father. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Danes."

"Please, call me William. And the pleasure's all mine."

The bell above the door rang again, and a familiar voice said, "I got all the plans I could find, Dad, but there's a few. . ." He broke of when he saw Lorelai. "Um, hi. I didn't know you were coming over."

"I didn't either until I decided I was bored."

"Oh, umm. . . okay."

"Well, I'll just take these and leave you two to talk." William relieved his son of the blueprints he was carrying. "It was mice meeting you, Lorelai."

"Nice meeting you, too, William," she told him as he disappeared into his office.

"William?" Luke asked, raising an eyebrow. Lorelai shrugged.

"It's what he told me to call him."

"I guess if that's what he told you." They were silent for about a minute. "So, anything in particular I can help you with?"

"No. I was jut going to wait until you got off work, and I figured we could go on a walk or something. Maybe talk about what to do this weekend."

"Okay. Let me just tell my dad I'm leaving."

"Oh. I didn't mean for you to leave right now."

"I'm finished for the day anyway. Delivering those blueprints was the last thing I had to do. I'll be down in a minute." He disappeared upstairs and returned a little later. "Let's go." He held the door open for her, and they both began to amble slowly around the square. They passed Doose's Market and Mrs. Patty's dance studio before turning and continuing to walk out of the town. Neither one spoke; Luke strode beside her with his hands thrust deep in his pockets, staring at the ground in front of him. Lorelai's arms swung slowly by her side as she walked; her eyes traveled over her surroundings, occasionally pausing on Luke's face. Eventually, he spoke. "So, uh. . . you said you wanted to talk about this weekend."

"Yeah, I was wondering if there was anything you wanted to do."

"Not really. I'm fine with whatever."

"How about the beach?"

"The beach?"

"Sure. It's only a couple hours away. We could leave in the morning, spend the day down there, ad drive back that night."

"I guess that'll be okay. I'll pick you up around 7:00 on Saturday."

"7:00? AM?"

"Yeah. That way we have more time at the beach than we'll spend driving there." Lorelai was still looking at him incredulously. "I'll bring coffee," he offered. Lorelai smiled.

"7:00 sounds good."

At 6:55 Saturday morning, Lorelai was still rushing around the small shed, trying desperately to be ready before Luke came. She heard a knock at the door and cursed loudly. "Luke, don't you know never to be early?"

"I'm five minutes early. How much difference can it make?"

"Trust me, a lot. Now, just wait until I have more clothes on."

"Out here?"

"No, I was planning on answering the door nude and inviting you in."

'_Not a bad idea. . . Stop thinking like that Danes!' _"Okay, just hurry up and get dressed so we can leave."

Ten minutes later, she opened the door. Her purple tank top did not quite reach across her rounded stomach, so a couple inches of skin were visible above her cut-offs. Luke could not keep his eyes off of her. Luckily, she was too busy digging through her purse for the key to the shed to notice his gaze. When she finally found it, she turned and placed it carefully in the lock before pushing the doorknob to one side with her left hand and turning the key with her right. "You know, I really need to fix that lock," Luke remarked.

"Luke, you've already built me a bathroom and fixed the fridge, the television, and the coffee table. I can't ask you to do anything else."

"You didn't ask. I offered."

"But I feel bad that you're doing all that for free."

Luke cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. How about you buy lunch today?"

"Deal."

As soon as Luke started the car, Lorelai turned on the radio and began to flip through the stations.

"Lorelai, do we really have to listen to music?"

"Of course. A road trip isn't a road trip without music."

"We're on a road, and we're taking a trip. That's all that's required to make this a road trip. Not music."

"Luke, there is no way I'll survive two hours in a car without music. Now, U2 or Journey?"

"Oh, so you're actually letting me make a decision now?"

"Yeah. I know it's a tough choice, but keep in mind we can listen to the other one later."

"Fine. Journey."

"Any reason?"

"Yeah, it comes first in the alphabet."

"Lucas Danes, you cannot make a decision between two of the finest bands that have ever played based solely on the first letter of their names. It is a disgrace to the music industry. You should carefully consider the pros and cons of each hand and weigh those against the mood you're in before-"

"We could always not listen to music," he suggested, interrupting her tirade.

"Journey's great."

Luke made it to the beach in record time, and Lorelai raced out of the car as soon as it stopped to go to the bathroom. "I thought you went at that rest stop a half hour ago," he called after her.

"I did, but I'm pregnant, remember?" she called back over her shoulder. Luke sighed and pulled her beach bag out of the front seat. He waited a couple minutes until she returned and handed her the bag while he grabbed his towel. The beach was nearly deserted since it was still reasonably early; however, a few people were out for a stroll. Luke spread his towel on a dry patch of sand and sat down. Lorelai spread the towel out beside him before pulling off her tank top and shorts. Luke gawked at her when he saw her bathing suit. It was not quite a bikini—it had boy-cut shorts, and the top covered a bit more than a bikini—but it still revealed much more of Lorelai's body than Luke had ever seen. Even pregnant, she looked amazing. "Come on, let's go in the water," she said, tugging his hand.

"_You _can go in the water. I'm staying here."

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun. I promise."

"As much 'fun' as jumping into a stream in my boxers?"

"More." Lorelai pulled his arm again, and he reluctantly stood up. He pulled his shirt off, and Lorelai's eyes were drawn once again to his upper body. She could stare at him all day. He reached down and unbuckled his belt before slipping out of his jeans. He wore green swimming trunks with a plaid pattern. Lorelai smiled. "I sense a recurring theme."

"Any comments, and I'm sitting right back down."

"Fine, fine, my lips are sealed."

"Keep them that way."

They went to lunch at a hamburger place on the pier. Lorelai ordered a bacon cheeseburger while Luke opted for the turkey burger. As the waiter gathered their menus, Lorelai looked at Luke curiously. "Any reason why you're such a health food nut?"

Luke suddenly became extremely interested in the salt shaker. "My mom, I guess," he muttered in a voice so low it was barely audible.

"Oh my God, Luke, I'm so sorry!" Lorelai gasped. He shrugged.

"It's okay. I mean, it's been nine and a half years since she died. The pain's still there, but it's not as. . . poignant as before. I actually wouldn't mind if you asked another question. It's kinda nice to remember my mom."

"Did you learn to cook from her?"

Luke smiled. "Yeah. My dad's a horrible chef."

"I don't think either of my parents can cook. They have maids for that." Lorelai said the word maid with disgust. "I guess that's where I got my awful cooking skills from."

"Come on, you can't be that bad."

"Oh, trust me, I am. Even if I so much as touch food, something goes wrong. I'm like Murphy's chef or something." Luke laughed. He loved how she could always make him laugh, even when they were talking about one of the most painful subjects for him.

"You know, I was actually thinking of opening a diner someday. Kind of as a testament to my mom. I've always enjoyed cooking, and I've learned a few things about business form my dad's store."

"Well, if you ever do open a diner, you already have one loyal customer."

"You've never tried my cooking. It could be horrible for all you know."

"I doubt that. And even if it is, I wouldn't care. Your coffee's amazing."

"Maybe you should try it sometime."

"Your coffee? I already have, and let me tell you, if I could make love to a beverage, that would be the one."

"I was actually talking about my food. You know, maybe I could come over one night and cook you dinner."

"I appreciate the offer, but it's really not necessary."

"Honestly, I'd enjoy doing it. It'll give me good practice and some feedback for when I open my diner."

"Okay, that sounds good then." The food came, and both lapsed into silence as they began to eat. Finally, Lorelai questioned, "If you don't mind me asking, how did she die?" Luke remained silent. "Never mind, don't worry about answering that," Lorelai said quickly. "It was stupid of me to ask."

"A car crash," Luke said quietly. "Some idiot tourist fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into her, head on. They say she died instantly. I hope they're right. I don't want to think she felt any pain." He was staring fixedly at the salt shaker once more. His head had begun to ache from holding back the flood of tears, but his eyes remained dry.

"You know what, why don't we talk about something else? Like if people from England are English and people from Ireland are Irish, are people from Greenland Greenish? And what about people from Iceland? Are they Icish? Hey, that would be a fin word to say ten times fast."

Luke chuckled. "I think you've put way too much thought into that."

"Come on, it's a valid question. Ooh, how about the Neterish from the Netherlands?"

"I believe they're called the Dutch."

"Maybe we should petition them to change that."

"I'm sure that would go over well."

"Hey, you can settle anything with a petition. Or a strike. Maybe some underwear burning if it's really extreme. Hey, we could start a festival for that. Everyone come burn your underwear to change the name of the Dutch to the Netherish. You could even be first, Luke."

"I'm not burning my underwear."

"Why not? Unless you're embarrassed by the teddy bears."

"I thought we already established the fact that I do not have teddy bear underwear."

"That I know of." The waiter brought the check, and Luke reached for it, but Lorelai slapped his hand away. She glanced at the check before pulling a couple bills out of her purse and setting them on the table. "Ready to go?" she asked.

"I'm ready to stop discussing my underwear."

"Sorry. Not gonna happen."

Lorelai was sunbathing on the beach later that afternoon. Luke was lying on his back beside her, fast asleep. She poked his side, and he swatted at her hand irritably. "I'm bored, Luke," she whined. "Let's play a game."

"Leave me alone," he grumbled.

"Come on, Luke, we can play the Question Game."

"The what?" His eyes still had not opened.

"The Question Game."

"Real original title. Almost as good as Truth or Dare."

"Well, that's not the real name. I don't really know the real name. I just call it the Question Game, and everyone knows what I'm talking about."

"Well, I don't."

"It's really easy. The first person asks a question and the other person has to answer it honestly. Then the person who asks the question also has to answer the question honestly. Then the next person goes."

"So it's Truth or Dare without the dare part?"

"Well, the questions are less personal since the person who asks also has to answer. So I might ask what's your middle name?"

"When did I agree to play this?"

"When you agreed to come to the beach with me. Now, answer."

"Patrick," he mumbled.

"Lucas Patrick Danes," Lorelai said. "I like it. Mine's Victoria."

"Favorite food?" Luke asked, deciding he might as well play along.

"Easy. Rocky road ice ream. You?"

"Chicken pot pie."

"I expected you to name some salad or something."

"Well, my mom used to make amazing chicken pot pie. I never quite have gotten it to taste right since she passed away."

"You'll get it one of these days. I know you're to determined not to."

"I hope so."

"I know so. Now, next question. Have you ever smoked? This includes illegal drugs and cigarettes both."

"Never. I wouldn't pollute my lungs with that crap. I mean, who are the cigarette company's kidding? They make these stupid slim cigarettes with less tobacco, but they still pump them full of nicotine so people will keep buying more. And they sit there on their huge piles of cash thinking about their new Porsches when they should be considering all the people who die each year from smoking. They're heartless!"

"And you're a cynic, so you guys are even. Though I did enjoy the rant. And for the record, I've never touched anything you're supposed to light on fire and stick in your mouth. Legal or not."

"Good to know. So, do you want a boy or girl?"

"No fair! You can't ask me a question that doesn't apply to you."

"Fine. Then you can take an extra turn and ask me a question that doesn't apply to you. Now, boy or girl?"

"I'd have to say girl. I wouldn't really know what to do with a boy. I'm not into sports or power rangers or stuff like that. Ballet recitals and tea parties, on the other hand, I can do. Okay, your turn. Boxers or briefs?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Hey, you can tell a lot about a man from his underwear."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you've seen me in my underwear. Why do you need to ask?"

"Well, that might've been a one-time thing. Maybe you're usually a briefs kind of guy, but you decided to spice it up a bit that day. But if you're complaining, I could always ask another question. Maybe, how long is your-"

"Boxers, okay," Luke interrupted quickly as his ears turned red.

"I thought so. You always struck me as a boxers guy."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Wouldn't you like to know. Now, my turn again. Any siblings?"

"A sister."

"How old?"

"Eleven months younger than me, so seventeen."

"Your parents didn't waste any time."

"Geez, Lorelai, they're my parents."

Lorelai laughed. "So, where's your sister now?"

"Liz moved to New York with her good-for-nothing asshole of a boyfriend Jimmy," Luke told her bitterly. "Actually, I think he's her husband now. Ha! That won't last long. Anyway, they're going to have a baby in about a month."

"So that's why you didn't kick me out of your truck when you found out I as pregnant. You're used to the whole pregnant teen thing."

"Not really," Luke admitted. "Liz ran off before I even knew she was pregnant. My dad got a call about a month later telling him he was going to be a grandfather."

"Nice. I have some first-hand experience in how well that conversation goes."

"He actually took it better than I thought. I think I was angrier than he was."

"You aren't a big fan of pregnant unwed teens?"

"No, of course not." _'Not you at least.' _"It's just. . . Liz has done one stupid thing after another. I didn't want her dating Jimmy in the first place because he's bad news. And now she's having his baby."

"Luke, you do realize that my situation is exactly the same as your sister's except that I'm not marrying the father."

"No, your situation is completely different. You've found a job to support you and the baby and a place to live. You may be sixteen, but I know that as soon as that baby comes, you'll be more than ready to take care of it. Liz, on the other hand, has no job, no saving, and has been evicted from every apartment building in New York City. Naturally, Jimmy's no help. My dad keeps telling her to come home whenever she calls, but she's too stubborn to listen."

"We have that in common, too."

"Lorelai, I'm not going to deny that you're stubborn. But you would at least accept help when you definitely needed it."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because you're no idiot."

"Tell that to my mother."

Around 7:00 that night, Luke dropped Lorelai off at the inn. He lifted her beach bag out of the back and carried it in for her. "Where should I put this?" he asked. Lorelai turned to face him.

"I'll take it." She grabbed the handle, and their hands touched briefly. Luke looked at her, admiring her delicate features. He longed to kiss her. He wanted to feel her lips beneath his own. He wanted to taste that sweetness he knew she had. Unconsciously, he leaned forward a bit. His hand had not budged from the bag, and he still felt her warm skin on his own. Only a few inches now separated their lips. He imagined closing that gap for a moment, feeling the thrill of kissing her. But reason told him they were still just friends and that she needed a friend and not a boyfriend in her situation. Logic triumphed, and he released the bag, backing away from her."

"I'll see you around," he said.

"Yeah. See ya." Lorelai shut the door behind him and leaned against it with a sigh. She closed her eyes as she remembered everything that had just occurred. He was about to kiss her. She knew that. He was so close, and she could see the desire in his eyes. Why hadn't she pulled away? She shouldn't be kissing anyone. She was barely over Christopher and pregnant. Yet it had seemed so natural to be nearly kissing Luke. A pleasant, tingling sensation had traveled up her spine when they touched, a feeling she had never received around Christopher. She would've kissed Luke (and likely enjoyed it, too) if he had not pulled away. Why had he pulled away? Did he see her as just a friend? Maybe he wasn't leaning in to kiss her. Maybe she had imagined the whole encounter. Maybe. . .

Lorelai shook her head to clear the competing thoughts before beginning to prepare for bed.


	4. Chapter 4

A few weeks later, Luke and Lorelai sat on the couch in the storage shed watching television. "Hey, what are we doing this weekend?" Lorelai questioned. She was sitting cross-legged at one end of the couch with her back against the arm rest. At seven months pregnant, her stomach had grown considerably. She hated all the extra weight ,for her back constantly bothered her.

"I don't know," Luke answered non-commitally.

"Oh, come on, it's your weekend to choose."

"I don't see why we have assigned weekends."

"That way, both of us can do stuff we really want to do."

"How about fishing?"

"Fishing?" Lorelai wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah. It's fun and relaxing."

"That's a matter of opinion."

"If you don't wanna go fishing, pick something else to do."

"Nope. It's your weekend to choose, and you want to go fishing. So we're going fishing."

"Do you even know how to fish?"

"Nope. That's why it's a good thing I have you there to teach me."

Lorelai had expected to go straight to the lake when Luke picked her up Saturday morning, but he had pulled off the road into the driveway of a house Lorelai had never seen before. "What are we doing here?" she asked. She was unusually wide-awake, especially considering that it was 7:00 in the morning. "Are we robbing this place? Because I think it's a bit early for me to be driving the getaway vehicle. I mean, I might fall asleep at the wheel and crash into a police car, and all your plans would be ruined."

"Would you just be quiet?" Luke hissed.

"Right, we wouldn't want to alert anyone to our presence." Luke just rolled his eyes and pulled a set of keys out of his pocket. "You did come well prepared," Lorelai continued. "I mean, now we can't get busted for breaking and entering, just. . . entering. That won't sound nearly as good in court." Luke walked to the garage and unlocked the padlock holding the door closed. He pushed the door up, revealing a large, half-finished boat. "Luke, something tells me that thing won't float too well," Lorelai told him.

"Never would've guessed," he commented sarcastically. "I guess it's a good thing we're using a different boat."

"You have _two _boats?"

"Well, that one," he gestured toward the large boat, "is not quite a boat. Yet. My dad's been working on it for awhile, but I've been fixing it up some since he got sick. This one, however," Luke led her to the back of the shed and pointed to a smaller boat wedged in the corner, "is perfectly seaworthy."

"Really? Cause it doesn't look like it." Lorelai eyed the small boat suspiciously. It looked barely big enough for two people. The once white paint was yellowed and peeling, and a few cobwebs clung to the surface.

"Trust me, I know." He began to drag the boat out of the corner, and Lorelai marveled at his strength. She could see the bulge of his biceps through his blue flannel, and she could not help but think of how good a tight-fitting t-shirt would look on him. He managed to drag it to the truck and somehow lifted it into the back. After securing it tightly, he opened Lorelai's door and helped her into the car before sliding into the driver's seat."

The drive to the lake was shorter than Lorelai expected. Once they reached it, Luke pulled the truck into a small clearing and Lorelai climbed out. She turned to look at the lake, and her breath caught in her throat. It was beautiful. Clear, calm water stretched on for miles, ending with a band of trees so far away Lorelai could barely make them out. A short dock led out a few yards into the water, and Lorelai saw a couple elderly men sitting at the end of it holding their fishing poles.

"Here. Hold these rods while I go unload the boat." Luke handed her two fishing poles. Lorelai opened her mouth, but he anticipated her comment. "If you say dirty, we're going home right now." Lorelai closed her mouth again. "I thought so." He turned to the truck.

As soon as his back was turned, Lorelai whispered, "Dirty," and giggled softly. Luke, luckily, did not hear; he unloaded the boat and half-carried, half-dragged it to the water where he tied it to the dock with a rope from his truck. He threw three coolers in the boat along with the fishing poles and a tackle box. Turning back to Lorelai, he held out his hand.

"Just be careful getting in," he warned. "The boat has a tendency to rock back and forth a lot." She grabbed his hand to steady herself as she slowly climbed into the boat. Once she was seated, he untied the rope and jumped on.

"Couldn't spring for a motor?" Lorelai asked as he pulled two paddles from the storage area on the side of the boat.

"Manual's so much better," he told her as he dipped the paddles in the water. Soon, his paddling became rhythmic and soothing, and Lorelai felt herself drifting off as she listened to the steady pattern of small splashes. Her eyelids closed, and she sunk down in her seat, ready for a nap, but Luke's voice interrupted her dozing. "This seems like a good spot. Why don't we cast off here?"

"Cast off?" Lorelai muttered groggily. She opened her eyes and saw that Luke had shed his flannel so he was wearing a white undershirt. Lorelai smiled at his perfectly-toned arms.

"Yeah, but first we need bait."

"We need bait?"

"Well, the fish aren't just going to bite onto a metal hook hanging in the water. So yes, we need bait."

"What are we using for bait."

"You probably don't want to know."

"Sure I do. Come on, Luke, tell me! Please!"

He sighed. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you. Pass me that cooler." Lorelai handed him the small cooler and watched curiously as he opened the lid.

"Ewww!" she exclaimed loudly. A mess of dead worms lay inside the cooler, so close together that it was impossible to tell one from another.

"I told you you didn't want to know," Luke said simply. He selected a worm and attached it to the end of his line. "Here, hand me yours," he instructed, holding out his hand. Lorelai blindly held out her pole in his general direction, refusing to look at the cooler. He shook his head and took the pole. After he had attached a worm to the end, he handed it back to her. She took it gingerly as if afraid the worm might suddenly come back to life and attack her. "Okay, now just bring the pole back over your head and then flick the line forward into the water." Luke demonstrated, and his hook sailed in a smooth arc directly into the water. Lorelai attempted to mirror his actions, but her line went limp about halfway through the motion, and the hook landed back in the bottom of the boat with a thud. "Here, let me help." Luke wedged his fishing pole between his feet and leaned over to help her. With unusual boldness, he placed his hands on top of hers and directed them back and forward again in a smooth motion. He was trying hard to concentrate on fishing instead of the warmth of her hands beneath his, but his eyes involuntarily sought Lorelai's face, searching for any signs of her feelings.

Lorelai was also having a difficult time focusing on fishing. She kept glancing down at Luke's strong, calloused hands which still covered her own. Although his sin was rough, his touch seemed oddly soft and comforting. Lorelai enjoyed feeling his hands on top of hers and secretly wished he would keep them there forever.

As soon as Lorelai's hook sank under the surface, Luke took his hands from hers. Although he enjoyed the feeling of her hands under his, he felt that he had been too forward. Who was he kidding? Lorelai's feelings toward him were nothing more than friendly. And he certainly should not have been flirting with a friend. "Understand now?" he asked, attempting to sound natural.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." An uncomfortable silence fell between them. Lorelai finally broke it after a few minutes. "So, what do we do with the fish once we catch them?"

"I usually take them home and eat them."

"Eww! Why?"

"Why not? They're healthy and they're free."

"Yeah, but what about the skin and guts and stuff?"

"You clean them before you cook them."

"Eww!"

"Will you stop saying that?"

"Only if you stop saying gross things."

"Then stop asking questions."

"Maybe I will."

"I'm not complaining." Luke secretly enjoyed his arguments with Lorelai. They were never serious arguments, merely playful banter back and forth between two friends. It was something unique that he and Lorelai shared, something that truly set their relationship apart. They were polar opposites and yet somehow inextricably connected.

"Oh! Oh my god! Something's pulling!" Lorelai exclaimed, dropping her fishing pole in fight. Luke, luckily, had quick reflexes; he managed to grab the pole before it traveled over the edge.

"This whole fishing thing works better if you don't let go of the pole," he told her sarcastically as she took the pole from his hands. "Now, just wind that handle up slowly," he instructed, pointing. She did as he asked, slowly turning the handle against the resistance at the other end of the line.

"How long do I have to turn it for?"

"Until whatever's on that hook surfaces."

"What if it never comes up? What if it's stuck down there?"

"Then the line would be a lot harder to wind. Just keep going."

"But my arm's tired!"

"Would you like me to do it?"

"Nope. I caught it. I'm reeling it in." She looked out just in time to see a medium-sized fish surface, flopping wildly in the sudden lack of water. "Hey, look, there he is!" Lorelai called excitedly, pointing.

"Yeah," Luke said, grabbing the end of her line as she pulled it closer. He had a knife poised, ready to kill the struggling fish. Before he could, however, Lorelai held him back.

"What's the poor fishy done to you?"

"Lorelai, I have to kill it. He's obviously in pain from the hook, and I'm no surgeon. He'll be better off dead."

"Can't we keep him?"

"You are not going to have a five pound trout for a pet."

"We could even give it a name. How about Bond? James Bond?"

"You cannot name a fish after a movie character!"

"Ooh, you actually understood a reference?"

"Contrary to your belief, I do not live in a box. I do have some idea of pop culture."

"could we at least keep James alive a little longer?" Lorelai questioned.

"Fine." Luke found the empty cooler he had thrown in the boat earlier and filled it with seawater. He carefully cut the line, allowing the fish to drop into the cooler. The fish was still for a moment, dazed from its out-of-water experience, but it soon began to swim in languid circles around the cooler. "You know I'm gonna have to kill it eventually," he said.

"Shh, not so loud. You don't want to scare James."

"He's a fish! He has no ears!"

"He didn't mean that, Jamesy," Lorelai cooed to the fish.

"You know, I'd prefer if my food didn't have a name."

"Then don't eat him."

"Lorelai, I am going to eat whatever we catch. That is not up for discussion."

"Neither is naming him."

"Fine."

"Fine!" Lorelai giggled. "I feel like I should slam a door."

"Good luck with that."

After six hours of fishing, Luke finally gave into Lorelai's pleading and reeled in his fishing line. She had stopped fishing long before, opting instead to bother Luke. Although she began by singing country music, she quickly progressed to teasing him about his unhealthy flannel obsession (which she secretly enjoyed simply because it was distinctly him) and his "macho personality." "I'm just saying, your wonderful cooking skills detract from your 'manly man' appearance," Lorelai commented.

"I don't have a 'manly man' appearance," Luke grumbled.

"Excuse me, Mr. Baseball Freak? Mr. I-work-out-at-the-gym-at-least-twice-a-week? Mr. I-look-like-I-could-punch-someone-through-the-wall-without-even-trying?'

"Okay, that's not true and you know it."

"I don't know. I've never seen you try. Though you've come awfully close with Taylor."

"He brings it on himself." Luke finished reeling in the line and carefully set the pole aside, next to Lorelai's. "So, do you really think I should stop cooking?"

"Definitely not! You make the best food I've ever tasted. And that includes the food of a few hundred different maids."

"Oh, come on, it's not that good."

"No, seriously, if I was going to die, my last wish would be for one of your hamburgers so at least I'd die happy."

"Glad to know you have your priorities straight. Now, let's head back for the dock."

"A wonderful idea. Actually, it as even more wonderful two hours ago." Luke rolled his eyes and began to paddle back. Lorelai smiled mischievously for a moment before beginning to sing. "Micheal, row your boat ashore. Alleluia. . ."

When Luke and Lorelai arrived back at the shore, Lorelai had included "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and various other songs about boating in her repertoire. "Okay, we're here. Let's be quiet, shall we?" Luke suggested.

"But this is too much fun! Maybe we should go fishing again so I can sing the other rowing songs I know."

"We'll see," Luke said non-committally as he loaded all the gear inside the truk. He hefted the boat into the back of the truck and climbed in.

When Lorelai visited Luke's store Tuesday, she found him in the back with a blond girl about her own age. Although he was speaking softly, Luke was visibly upset. He kept gesturing wildly at his father's office. The girl seemed to be unaffected by his ranting; she gazed blankly around the room as if bored by the situation. As her gaze neared the spot where Lorelai was standing, Lorelai sank farther back into the shadows. The girl was actually very pretty; she had delicate features which were perfectly proportioned to her face. Her eyes were a deep blue, and her hair, though pulled into a messy bun, merely enhanced her beauty. Her eyes lingered a moment on the spot where Lorelai hid, and Lorelai thought she had seen her, but the girl's eyes continued their sweep of the room.

As Lorelai watched Luke and the girl interact, she wondered if they were dating. They certainly seemed very close. Maybe she was the infamous Anna who had come back, begging forgiveness. But why hadn't he told her he was dating someone? _'Why would he?' _the voice in her head asked. _'It's not as if you're dating. He's not obligated to tell you everything about his life. And besides, why do you care if he's dating someone?' _Deciding it was best to make an appearance, Lorelai stepped out of the shadows. "Luke?" she called.

"Back here." He seemed gruffer than usual, and he was still staring angrily at the blond girl who turned around and looked at Lorelai curiously.

"Luke, who's this?" she questioned.

"This is my friend, Lorelai. Lorelai, this is my sister, Liz." Luke still had not stopped glaring at Liz.

Relief flooded through Lorelai. She did not know why she cared so much if Luke had a girlfriend, but she could not contain the jealousy that coursed through her body when she first saw Liz. "It's nice to finally meet you," Lorelai said, smiling genuinely. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Probably about what a disappointment I am," Liz commented, looking at her brother.

"No, it's all good things," Lorelai said quickly.

"Lorelai, I know my brother. I know he doesn't like the way I've lived my life, but he has to realize I'm not a little girl anymore. I can take care of myself." She looked pointedly at Luke and then back at Lorelai. Her eyes traveled down to Lorelai's rounded stomach. "Well, it seems we have a hypocrite her." Luke's ears turned bright red.

"It's not Luke's," Lorelai told her.

"Uh huh."

"No, trust me, this is my own mess. I didn't even meet Luke until I was five months along."

"Well, isn't that just like my big brother. Always ready to play the knight in shining armor." The color on Luke's ears began to creep toward his cheeks. Liz patted his arm.

"I think flannel suits him better," Lorelai remarked. Liz laughed.

"So, Lorelai, how far along are you?"

"Seven months. Speaking of which, where's your baby?"

"Oh, Luke told you about my pregnancy did he?" She glanced at her brother who was staring determinedly at the floor. "Well, Jess is in New York with his father. I just came here to formally say goodbye and pick up my stuff."

"So you're not staying?"

"No, I need to get back to my husband and son." Luke grumbled something, and Liz shook her head. "I know you don't like him, big brother, but he's the father of my baby, and I need him. Okay?"

"You don't _need _him. I could help," Luke told her.

"I appreciate the offer, but this is something Jimmy and I are going to do on our own. Jess is our kid, and we're going to raise him. Now, I know you have to get back to the store, so go. Lorelai, if you have some time, I'd enjoy talking to you as I pack."

"Sure, I've got time," Lorelai agreed.

Luke looked at both of them before sighing loudly. He pulled his sister into a hug. "I don't agree with what you're doing, but I'm not going to argue. Just be careful and remember if you need anything, I'm right here."

"I know, big brother. I love you."

"I love you, too." He pulled back from the hug and turned to continue his work.

"So, Lorelai, what is going on between you and my brother?"

"Nothing."

"But you want there to be something?"

"No. . . well, yes, sort of. . . I just don't know."

"That's what I thought."

"It's just so complicated! I mean, I'm pregnant. I should be thinking about this baby and what's best for it not what's best for me. This just isn't the best time for a relationship."

"You know, my brother's a great guy. He deserves to be happy. And I've seen the way he looks at you, and I know you could make him happy. I think he would make you happy, too. Am I right?"

"I guess, but it's not that easy."

"Of course it is. I know my brother. He would never do anything to hurt your child. I don't see why you _and _your baby can't be happy."

"I'm just so confused right now."

"Just don't take too long, okay?"

"I'll try." They walked in silence for a couple minutes until they came to the building where Luke and his father lived. Lorelai followed Liz inside and shut the door behind her. She looked around the small living room in amazement. It was sparsely furnished with only a couch, an old grey recliner, and a small television. To Lorelai, it seemed as if the apartment was uninhabited. The only signs that Luke and William lived threw ere the two plates in the kitchen sink. Liz shook her head and headed for a short hallway leading off her living room. She opened the first door on the left, revealing a large closet crammed with boxes, loose articles of clothing, and a myriad of other things.

"My stuff," Liz announced as she began to empty the closet. Lorelai helped her fold the clothes neatly and pack them in some empty boxes she had brought. As they worked, Liz asked, "So, what happened between you and your baby's father?"

"He wanted to get married. Actually, my mom wanted us to get married, and he's a push-over, so he agreed. But I didn't love him, and I don't think he loved me, so I said no. Of course, my mother wasn't too happy about that which is how I ended up here."

"Your parents kicked you out?"

"No, I just couldn't stand living under their stupid rules anymore. So I left."

"Do you regret it?"

"Not at all."


	5. Chapter 5

Liz had left as soon as she packed without saying goodbye to Luke. Lorelai could tell he was hurt despite his attempts to pretend it was not a big deal. When Lorelai tried to cheer him up, he simply told her that he had not expected a goodbye. "It's not like I really wanted a teary, emotional parting anyway," he said. "It's better that she left like she did."

"We should crown you and call you Ramses."

"What?"

"Because you are the King of Denial."

"Hilarious, Lorelai."

"I thought so." She giggled as she watched him measure a piece of wood for a table he was building. "So, it's my turn to choose what we do this weekend," Lorelai commented.

"Yeah, so?" He carefully placed the board on his workbench and cut through it.

"So, I was thinking we should go to the mall. Do some browsing."

Luke groaned and cut the saw off. It growled in protest as it came to a halt. "Do I honestly seem like the shopping type to you?"

"It's good to try new things. I tried fishing."

"I've tried shopping. I don't like it."

"Well, Mr. Monosyllable, it's my weekend to choose, and I want to go shopping." Luke stuck out her bottom lip, pouting.

Luke sighed. "I'll go, but don't expect me to enjoy it."

"You never know, it might turn out better than you think."

"I doubt it."

For once, Lorelai was wide awake at 9:00 on a Saturday morning. She had talked the entire way to Hartford, stopping only when she took a sip of the coffee Luke had brought her. When he pulled his truck into a parking space outside the mall, Lorelai had jumped out eagerly before he could open the door for her. He followed her into the massive structure, so slowly that she repeatedly turned around to tell him to hurry up. "I'm coming," he grumbled the fifth time she had done this.

"Not very fast! If you were going any slower, you'd be going backwards."

"That's fine with me."

"Lukey, you promised."

"A, I told you never to call me that. B, I didn't promise anything."

"You said fine."

"That's not a promise."

"It's close enough. Now, come on." She grabbed his hand and tugged, and his pace sped up a bit. When they entered the mall, his gaze fell to their hands which were still clasped tightly together. Lorelai's eyes followed his , and she quickly released her grip. Her eyes wandered around the store briefly before she found the sign for the men's department. "Let's go," she said, leading him toward the sign. He saw where they were headed and groaned.

"Lorelai, I do not need more clothes."

"You don't have much variety in your wardrobe."

"I like it that way."

"I don't."

"Let me rephrase my original statement. Lorelai, I can't afford more clothes."

"Fine, then we'll just look." She stopped in front of a rack filled with stacks of varying colors. "Oh, how about we play a game?" she suggested.

"How about not?"

"It'll be fun!"

"No good suggestions ever follow that statement."

"I resent that!"

"Deal with it."

"Well, what I was going say before I was deeply offended by your rudeness." Luke rolled his eyes. "Was that we should each pick out an outfit for the other person to try on."

"No."

"No? You won't even consider it?"

"No."

"Please, Luke. Pretty please with sugar on top." She stared up at him with her bright blue eyes, and he felt himself caving.

"No," he repeated, weaker this time. Lorelai knew she was winning.

"I promise, I won't make you try on anything embarrassing."

"Promise?"

"Scout's honor."

"You were never a scout."

"The principle's the same."

"I guess. But just _one _outfit."

"And that's another for Gilmore!" Lorelai exclaimed. "Now I need to find you the perfect outfit." She glanced around her and shook her head before walking to another section. She studied all the clothes for awhile, and Luke began to lose his patience.

"Lorelai, if you don't pick something in the next five minutes, the deal's off."

"I'm trying okay? I just have to find the perfect. . ." Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of something hanging on the back wall. "And there it is," she breathed. Luke followed her gaze and immediately began to protest.

"No. No way. I'm not wearing that!"

"You agreed to wear anything I picked out."

"Anything not embarrassing."

"A suit is not embarrassing. It's professional."

"Lorelai. . ."

"Lucas. . ." She walked over to the charcoal grey suit and lifted it off the wall. "It's calling to you," she told him.

"You're crazy."

"Lucas. Lu-ucas!" She shook the arms of the jacket as if it were alive.

"Fine. Give it to me." He took the suit from her hands, and she pointed him to a dressing room. He sighed and said, "Just don't get used to this. It's a one-time thing."

"I know. Now go change."

When he emerged from the dressing room five minutes later, Lorelai gasped in surprise. He looked amazing in the suit. The top two buttons of his shirt were open, revealing the tighter white undershirt beneath it. The pants were loose but still showed off his bottom half nicely. The jacket was snug around his biceps, reminding Lorelai how large they were. "You should wear a suit more often," she commented, approaching him. She buttoned the last two buttons of his shirt and straightened the jacket before stepping away from him suddenly as she realized what she was doing. He gave her an odd, appraising look as she nervously looked at his sock-clad feet.

"I look like an idiot," he finally said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen between them. Lorelai looked up at him.

"No, you look really good." Was that flirting? It sure sounded like it.

"Well then, I feel like an idiot." He tugged at the collar uncomfortably. "And I'm hot in this damn thing. Can I take it off now?"

"Just one more minute." Lorelai stood back and admired his figure as he shifted nervously from one foot to another.

"Okay, enough is enough! I'm going to change!" As he headed back to the dressing room, Lorelai glanced downward and smiled. She _really _liked those pants.

"Now, it's your turn to pick out something for me to wear," Lorelai told him once he had changed back into a t-shirt and jeans.

"Do I really have to? Why can't we just go home?"

"We've been here half an hour, Luke! We can't leave yet. And yes, you do have to pick out something for me to try on."

"Fine What about that?" Luke gestured to his left without looking. Lorelai laughed.

"Luke, you're going to have to wait for a couple months so I can lose some of this pregnancy weight before I can fit into that!" Luke looked over to where he had pointed, and his face turned bright red as he saw the skimpy black lingerie.

"Aw geez, Lorelai, I didn't mean anything like that. I was just. . . pointing. Randomly, of course. . . I don't want. . ." Lorelai laughed harder as he stumbled over his words.

"It's okay. I understand," she assured him. "Why don't we go to the maternity section and you can pick out something there?"

"Okay," he said weakly, still mortified. She led him to the back corner of the woman's department where they kept the maternity clothes.

"See anything that jumps out at you?" she inquired.

This time, he looked before he pointed. "How about that?" Lorelai walked over and picked up the black spaghetti strap dress.

"Okay. I'll be back in a couple minutes." She walked into the dressing room, and he waited awkwardly outside, attempting not to make eye contact with any of the other customers. "Luke?" he heard her call.

"What?"

"Can you come here for a sec?"

"Lorelai, you're in a woman's dressing room. I can't go in there."

"It's just be for a second. Besides, no one else is in here." Luke looked around quickly, ensuring no one was watching him, before ducking inside the room.

"I'm here, now what do you want?" he hissed. The door to the last dressing room opened, and she stepped out, wearing the dress. Luke's breath caught in his throat. The dress fit snugly to her body, accenting every curve. He knew she was beautiful, but the dress made her look drop-dead gorgeous. He was mesmerized by her.

"I need you to zip this up," she told him, turning around. One hand held her hair up, and the other held her dress closed at the top. Luke stared at her back for a moment, admiring the thin strip of smooth, tanned skin exposed by the open zipper. He could feel his hands shaking as he approached her to zip up the dress. As he reached up to take the zipper, he stopped. He did not know if he could control the emotions running rampant through his body. He wanted to touch her, to feel her skin against his. He wanted to hold her tightly in his arms and kiss her like there was no tomorrow. He was afraid that if he took the zipper in his hands, he might lose all inhibitions and crush her to him right then. "Something wrong, Luke?" she asked, bringing him crashing back down to reality.

"No," he said, grabbing the zipper and pulling it up quickly. As he did, his knuckles brushed against the bare skin of her back. Lorelai felt a shiver travel down her spine, but she ignored it and turned to face him.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"No problem." He was still in a semi-stupor from her appearance. He watched as she walked to the full-length mirror in the corner. She frowned as she stared at herself, looking at the dress from all angles.

"Does this dress make me look fat?"

"It makes you look pregnant," he answered carefully.

"Pot-a-to, Po-tah-to," she said, pronouncing the two words differently.

"Lorelai, you look beautiful. And the fact that you're pregnant only makes you more stunning." Had he really just said that?"

"You think?"

"I know."

She smiled at him again. "Thanks, Luke. I needed that."

"You're welcome. Now, go change. I'll be outside."

An hour later, they were wandering through the furniture store, looking for baby furniture. After checking the price tags on a couple cribs, Lorelai whistled loudly. "I never knew baby stuff was so expensive," she said.

"I could make you a crib, you know," Luke offered.

"No, Luke, it's fine. I'm sure I can find a secondhand one pretty cheap."

"You can't buy a secondhand crib, Lorelai. It could be dangerous. You wouldn't want to hurt your baby."

"But you've already done _so _much for me, Luke."

"So? I enjoy doing stuff for you. It makes me feel useful."

"Why are you so nice to me?"

Luke shrugged. "Because you need someone who's nice to you."

"Thank you, Luke."

"No problem."

"Okay, that's one thing off the list. Now I just need bedding, a baby carrier, a stroller, bottles, diapers, clothes. . . God, this is going to be expensive! What the hell was I thinking, Luke? I can't do this on my own! I don't have enough money to raise a baby! I barely have enough money to take care of myself! I should never have left my parents'." Before Luke could process everything that she said, Lorelai began to sob uncontrollably. Instinctively, he took her in his arms and stroked her hair soothingly.

"It'll be okay," he assured her, cursing himself for how stupidly cliché his words sounded. Comforting people—especially crying girls—had never been his forte. "I think my dad still has some of Liz's and my old baby stuff," he said. "I can probably find a stroller and a baby carrier. As for that other stuff, I wouldn't worry. You still have a couple months to save up, and I'm sure you'll find a way to get everything you need. You're going to be an amazing mother, Lorelai."

"But what if what my mother said was true? What if my baby needs a mother and a father? I don't want to deprive my baby of anything." Although she was still crying, her sobs had lessened considerably.

"Lorelai, you haven't deprived your kid of anything. You're doing what's best for him or her by not marrying Chris. You don't want this baby to grow up and think that it's the reason two people who shouldn't be together are together. It's not fair to you or the baby."

"I guess."

"And Lorelai?"

"Hmm?"

"If you ever need anything, I'll always be here."

"I'm sorry for that outburst earlier," Lorelai told Luke later as they sat down for lunch.

"It's okay," he said with a shrug.

"Thanks for helping, though. I know you don't like crying."

"I can deal with it." He took the lid off his salad and began to eat."

"No dressing?" Lorelai asked.

"They didn't have any I like."

"So nothing low-fat, huh?"

"Am I really that predictable."

"Luke, you eat like a forty-year-old woman."

"Well, what are you eating?"

"Tomato and mayonnaise sandwich. Want some?"

Luke looked at it, disgusted. "And you complain about _my _eating habits?"

"I'm pregnant. I have an excuse."

"Yeah, an excuse to kill yourself. Do you know how much fat is in that mayonnaise?"

"No, but I'm sure you do." Lorelai took a large bite of the sandwich.

"I don't understand how you can eat like that and not weigh four hundred pounds."

"I'm a medical marvel."

"Have you ever eaten anything healthy in your life?"

"Tomatoes are vegetables. That's healthy. Or are they fruit? I've never really figured that out. I mean, people put them on salads, so they seem like vegetables, and they taste like vegetables. But they look like fruit."

"I think they're a fruit. They have seeds."

"Well, aren't we Mr. Scientific?"

"It's just something I heard somewhere."

"So is squash a fruit, too?"

"I guess."

"Wow. My mother's been lying to me all these years. Next time she tells me to eat my vegetables, I'll just refuse anything with seeds. If I ever go back to that house."

"Lorelai, I'm sure you'll go back to your parents' house eventually. You can't say mad at them forever."

"Luke, do you remember learning about Bloody Mary in school?"

"Sure. Why?"

"She's an angel compared to my mother."

"Aw, come on, she can't be that bad."

"No, seriously. She's a tyrant! We must have had a couple hundred maids while I was growing up because she would fire them all after a week or they'd get so scared of her that they'd just quit. I think some of them took to calling her Hitler, but I don't like that name. It doesn't suit her."

"Too harsh?"

"Hell no! Too kind. Satan incarnate might hit closer to the mark."

"Obviously your relationship with your mother is not very good. What about your dad?"

"He was never around enough for me to form an opinion on him. I saw him at dinner and on holidays. Sometimes not even then. He was part of my life because he was my father, but he was never really. . . part of my life. Understand?"

"Sort of."

"I looked up to him like any little girl looks up to her father. When I was younger, he was the most fascinating person in the world to me. I loved those dinners with him even when his only contribution to the conversation was a grunt. But as I got older, I realized he was not the role model I thought he was."

"But he was successful, right?"

"Sure. He was very successful in business. But not very successful when it came to his family. And that's where success really matters."

"I would have to agree with you there."


	6. Chapter 6

Three weeks later, Lorelai was helping Luke inventory the hardware store. As she counted a group of hammers, she felt a sudden pain in her stomach. She doubled over, breathing heavily. "Are you okay?" Luke asked, walking over to her side.

"Fine." She waved him off and tried to stand up straight, but another spasm of pain forced her to bend over again.

"You don't look fine. Maybe we should go to the hospital."

"I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm fine."

"Then stand up straight." Lorelai tried, but the pain was virtually unbearable. "That's what I though. Come on, we're going to the hospital." He put a hand on her back and began to guide her to the door. Suddenly, Lorelai stopped with a loud cry. "What is it?" Luke asked, concerned.

"My water just broke!"

"What?"

"I'm having a baby, Luke!"

"Now?"

"Yes, now. I'm in labor, now give me a ride to the damn hospital!"

"Okay, come on." Luke led her quickly outside and helped her into his truck. He started the car and pulled onto the road. His foot continued to depress the gas pedal as the needle on the speedometer rose. He was out of Stars Hollow in ten minutes and merged onto the highway at seventy-five. He heard Lorelai's breathing become more labored and glanced over at her. She was clutching the edge of her seat, obviously in a great deal of pain. Her face was set, and her lips were pressed into such a thin line that they were barely visible. Luke let his speed climb to eighty. After about a minute, Lorelai seemed to calm down considerably. She sank back into her seat, allowing her breathing to slow. Her eyes closed.

"When all those movies talk about how painful labor is, they aren't exaggerating," she commented. "I don't want to go through that again."

He looked over at her. "Can I do anything?"

"just get me to the hospital"

In just under fifteen minutes, Luke pulled into the parking deck outside the hospital. Lorelai had only suffered one more contraction in the car, and Luke could see the pain on her face as she clenched her jaw and tried to ignore it. He helped her out of the truck and into the emergency room. As soon as she was seated, he rushed up to the nurses' station. "My friend's in labor," he said breathlessly.

"How far apart are the contractions?"

"I don't know. . . like ten minutes or so."

"Okay, then fill these out." The nurse handed him a clipboard with three forms and a pen.

"Fill these out? Did you hear what I just said? My friend's in _labor. _As in going to have a baby. And all you want us to do is fill out these damn forms?"

"Sir, I understand you're upset, but if your friend's contractions are ten minutes apart, you still have a few hours before she's going to be having a baby. So just calm down, fill out these forms, and come back when her contractions are five minutes apart." Luke reluctantly took the forms and walked back over to Lorelai. As he neared her, he heard her breath catch in her throat, and he knew she was about to have another contraction. He sat down in the chair beside her, placing the clipboard on its side between his body and the arm of the chair. He turned to her with concern. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Give me your hand."

"What?"

"Just give it to me!" He extended his hand, and she grabbed it with one of hers, squeezing it so hard he thought his bones would snap. He bit back the protests that were on the tip of his tongue, knowing she was in much more pain than he was. He was tough and could deal with a sore hand.

Lorelai was not exactly sure why she had asked for his hand, but it helped her to be able to squeeze it as the contraction worsened. It seemed to alleviate some of the pain, and it was comforting knowing she did not have to face child birth alone—someone was there with her. She clutched his hand harder as the contraction continued. It felt as if someone was grabbing her insides and wringing them out repeatedly. She wanted the pain to end. She wanted the baby to just come out so she could go home. She tried breathing deeply, but the pain was still almost unbearable. Her eyes closed as if refusing to look at her surroundings could somehow make the pain disappear. But it remained.

After a grueling minute and a half, the contraction was over. Lorelai had broken into a sweat and was shaking uncontrollably. She collapsed into her chair wearily, letting go of Luke's hand. He stood up, and Lorelai was suddenly frightened he would leave her. She could not do this alone; it was too uncertain and frightening. She need him with her. He obviously sensed her fear, for he said, "Don't worry, I'm just going to get you some water. I'll be back soon. You need to fill out these forms." He handed her the clipboard and turned to leave.

"Luke. . ." Her voice was weak, so unlike the one he was accustomed to hearing.

"Just give me five minutes."

Luke was back in four minutes carrying a glass of water which he handed to Lorelai. "Thanks." She smiled weakly and took a long sip before turning back to the forms. "Medical insurance," she muttered. "Hmm. . . must be under my dad's company. Policy number. . . how the hell should I know?" She was visibly agitated by this point. "Why am I sitting here filling out these damn forms anyway? I'm having a baby for Christ's sakes! That's what I should be worrying about, not the policy number on my damn insurance!"

"Lorelai, calm down." Luke stroked the back of her hand soothingly. "You can always call your father and ask about your insurance."

"No, I'll just be doing what they want by admitting I can't handle this on my own without their help."

"You're not admitting you can't do this alone. You're admitting you don't know the policy number of your medical insurance. Now, make the call."

"But I don't wanna!"

"Too bad." Luke helped her to a payphone in the corner. She inserted a couple coins and looked at him pleadingly. He simply narrowed his eyes and tapped his foot impatiently. Sighing melodramatically, she dialed the number. A maid picked up after the first ring. Lorelai did not recognize the voice, but she also did not expect to. She had left the house three months before; her mother had likely been through a dozen maids since then.

"Richard Gilmore, please," Lorelai said politely.

"One moment, ma'am." The line was silent for a couple minutes as the maid searched for Lorelai's father. She finally heard his voice.

"Hello, Richard Gilmore."

"Hi, Dad, I've got a favor to ask."

"Lorelai?"

"No, it's the other girl who calls you Dad."

"Lorelai, where are you? Come home right this instant! Your mother and I have been worried sick about you, and you haven't even bothered to call."

"Well, I'm calling now. I'm fine. The baby's fine, everything's fine, but I need the policy number on my medical insurance. I know it's with you company, but I don't know the number."

"Why do you need the policy number?"

"The hospital wants it."

"Hospital? You never mentioned you were in a hospital. What happened?"

"I went into labor."

"Oh." Richard did some quickly calculations. "Aren't you due a month from now?"

"Well, this baby wasn't too fond of waiting. Now, the policy number." Richard told her, and she copied it onto the form.

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome, Lorelai. And-" He was cut off by a shout of pain from Lorelai. He heard a series of loud noises and assumed she had dropped the phone. After the crashing subsided, he was able to hear a male voice soothing Lorelai. Richard smiled to himself, believing there was only one person it could be. Christopher had come back to do what was right. Richard knew that he alone would be the person who could convince Lorelai to come home, so he decided to let it be.

Luke knew Lorelai was having another contraction, so he held his hand out to her. She grasped it tightly in her hands and waited for the pain subside. For a minute or two, she continued to clutch his hand. When the contraction ended, she let go rather reluctantly. It was nice having his hand inside her own because it seemed to fit perfectly. As soon as she let go of Luke's hand, he picked up the phone and hung it up, grabbing the clipboard she had dropped. "Did you get the number?"

"Yeah, it's on there."

"Okay, good. Maybe you should write it down somewhere else so you have it if you ever need it again." He allowed her to lean o him as they walked slowly back to their seats.

"I guess."

Four hours later, Lorelai's contractions were only five minutes apart. Luke took the forms to the nurse's station and told her about the new time between contractions. "I'll go find an open room and meet you in the lobby in a few minutes." Luke nodded and went back to Lorelai. The nurse came in pushing a wheelchair, and he helped Lorelai into it. "Are you coming, Dad?" she questioned.

"Oh, I'm not-" Luke began, but Lorelai interrupted him.

"Of course he's coming," she said.

"Okay then, we need to find you some scrubs." As the nurse turned to leave, Luke leaned over to Lorelai.

"I can't go in there!" he whispered fiercely.

"Sure you can. I need you in there, Luke."

All his protests died on his lips when he looked at her pleading eyes. "Okay." He straightened up and followed the nurse into a side room.

When he entered Lorelai's room wearing the loose green scrubs, she bit her lip to stifle her laughter. "Don't say a thing," she warned.

"I wasn't going to," she assured him, smiling broadly. A spasm of pain shot through her body, and she reached for Luke's hand. He allowed her to grab it tightly as she fought through the pain. As her contractions grew closer together, they seemed to become more unbearable. Lorelai did not know how much more pain she could take.

The nurse walked in as the contraction ended. "Isn't there some pain killer or something you could give her?" Luke asked, full of concern.

"I can give her some Demerol. Here, take this. I'll be right back." She handed Luke a glass of water and a damp washcloth. He looked down at the two items and tehn at Lorelai before gently wiping the sweat off her face.

"Thanks," she muttered weakly.

"You're welcome. Now, drink this." He handed her the glass of water which she drank gratefully. Once she had drained the whole glass, she lay her head back on her pillows and closed her eyes.

"I just want this baby to hurry up and come out already."

"Hopefully it won't be too much longer," he told her.

"I don't think I can survive this too much longer."

"I think my hand feels the same way." She laughed softly. The door opened, and the nurse walked in rolling an IV. "Okay, this might hurt a bit going in," she said as she held up the needle.

"I'm getting used to pain," Lorelai said. She winced slightly as the needle entered her vein but made no noise. Luke rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand comfortingly, enjoying the feeling of her smooth skin. She visibly relaxed as she felt his touch, and her breathing slowed. They sat in silence for a few minutes as the nurse finished hooking up the IV. Another contraction hit suddenly, and Lorelai's muscles tensed. Her grip on his hand was still strong, much stronger than Luke would ever have thought her capable of. After a couple minutes, she relaxed again, but she still held his had in her own. He was certainly not going to complain about that.

After another two hours, Lorelai's contractions were almost constant. The Demerol did not seem to be very effective at dulling the pain, for it remained as strong as ever. Lorelai had never imagined being in as much pain as she was at that moment. Her face was covered in sweat that Luke could not wipe off fast enough. She could not catch her breath, and her entire body was weak and shaking. The only comfort she had was Luke's warm hand which she still clasped tightly in her own.

Luke had seriously considered asking the nurse for some Demerol for himself. It felt as if every bone in his hand were broken. Multiple times. He was not sure if he would be able to move it even if Lorelai did let go of it for long enough for him to try. But he was not going to complain. He had to be strong because Lorelai needed him. So he gritted his teeth and attempted to ignore his throbbing hand.

The door swung open, and a doctor walked in wearing a set of scrubs. Unlike Luke's they appeared tailored to fit him, and it seemed natural for him to wear them. He pulled on a pair of gloves and addressed Lorelai. "I'm Dr. Ranger. I'll be delivering your baby tonight. I think he or she is about ready to come out."

"It's about time," Lorelai said through clenched teeth. She looked at the doctor and noticed immediately how young he seemed. If she had to guess, she would have said he was barely out of college. He certainly did not look old enough to be out of medical school. His curly brown hair did not have a single streak of grey, and his face showed no sign of wrinkles. His green eyes sparkled with a youthful quality that Lorelai could not quite place. She was about to ask him his age when another contraction hit, and the pain forced her into silence. The doctor made a few notes in his chart and checked the monitors beside Lorelai's bed.

"How far apart are your contractions?" the doctor asked.

"They're pretty damn close together," Luke answered irritably, still trying valiantly to ignore the pain. He was tired of that particular question.

"Okay, we're going to go ahead and deliver then." The doctor made a final note on his chart and handed it to a nearby nurse. He pulled a paper mask over his nose and mouth and walked to the foot of the bed. Three nurses stood behind him, prepared to help if they were needed. They had all performed countless deliveries; they knew the routine so well they could do it in their sleep.

Lorelai looked at the people in the room. "I feel like the main event at a circus," she muttered. Luke smiled.

"They're just here to help."

"It just feels weird to have them all staring at my vagina."

"Aw geez, Lorelai." Luke looked determinedly at the wall above her head.

"You are too easy to embarrass."

"Yes, well, I don't really like discussing. . . that particular body part."

"Prude."

"On the next contraction, I want you to give a big push," the doctor instructed, interrupting Luke and Lorelai's conversation. Lorelai nodded as she felt the pain coming on. She squeezed Luke's hand tightly as she pushed. His eyes remained fixed on the back wall. "Okay. I see the head," the doctor announced. Lorelai already felt drained; she did not know if she could endure labor any longer. "I need you to give me another big push on the count of three," the doctor told her. "One. . . two. . . three!" Lorelai followed his instructions, feeling as if someone was tearing her in two. Luke felt the pressure on his hand increase, and he brought his eyes to her face. Sweat covered her face, glistening slightly in the harsh hospital lights. Her hair was tangled and damp, lying messily on the pillow. Somehow, though, her disheveled appearance augmented her beauty in Luke's eyes.

"I'm right here," he soothed, using his free hand to take the damp washcloth and wipe the sweat from her brow.

"One more good push should do it," the doctor said. Lorelai looked at Luke."

"Squeeze away," he told her, and he felt the grip on his hand tighten. A few seconds later, he heard a cry and chanced a look toward the front of the bed. The doctor was holding something which, though covered in blood, was unmistakably a baby. A nurse stepped forward with a towel, and the doctor placed the baby on it.

"Congratulations! It's a girl! Would you like to cut the cord, Dad?" He held out a pair of scissors to Luke who looked at Lorelai. She nodded.

"Uh. . . sure." He took the scissors from the doctor and cut where he was instructed to. As soon as the baby was free, the nurse carried her out of the room to clean her up. The other two nurses began to clean up everything else as the doctor left.

"I'm a mother," Lorelai whispered, allowing the fact to sink in. "I have a daughter." Even though the contractions had stopped, she still held Luke's hand. His fingers gently traced over the back of her hand, memorizing every detail. The nurse reentered the room without the baby, and Lorelai immediately became concerned. "Where is she? Where's my baby?"

"Don't worry, honey, she's fine," the nurse assured her. "They're just doing a few routine checks now. She's a bit small because she's a month early—only five pounds, twelve ounces—but she seems to be doing fine. You should be able to see her in a few minutes." The nurse disconnected the IV and rolled it out of the room. Lorelai looked back at Luke.

"How're you feeling?" he inquired.

"Better not that the contractions have stopped. What about you?"

"Well, I didn't have to push a six pound human being out of my body, so I'm doing pretty good."

"Five pounds, twelve ounces," Lorelai corrected.

"My mistake." The nurse walked back into the room, and Lorelai's eyes were immediately drawn to the pink bundle in her arms.

"This is your daughter," the nurse said, carefully handing the baby to Lorelai. Lorelai held the baby close and looked at her tiny face. Her nose was small and rounded and centered perfectly. Her blue eyes had the same sparkle as Lorelai's own, and her pink lips were open slightly. Lorelai gently reached down to stroke her tiny fist with one of her fingers.

"Hey, baby. I'm your mommy," she said.

"Have you thought about a name?" the nurse questioned.

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore," Lorelai declared.

"Lorelai?" Luke asked.

"Sure. Guys name their sons after them all the time. Why can't I? We'll call her Rory for short so it doesn't get too confusing."

"Two Lorelai's. Just what we need." Lorelai slapped him playfully. As the nurse left, Lorelai turned to Luke and held Rory out to him. "You want to hold her?"

Panic crossed Luke's face. "No! I might drop her!"

"No, you won't Luke. Trust me, it's easy. Just put your arms under her so you support her head and her back." Reluctantly, Luke took the baby in his arms, following Lorelai's instructions on how to hold her. He immediately noticed how light Rory was; she felt as if she weighted nothing. Gradually, Luke became more comfortable holding Rory, and he brought her closer to his body. She moved slightly, snuggling against his chest, and he marveled at how perfect she was. She looked just like her mother, from her wavy brown hair (which was still only wisps on her head) to her brilliant blue eyes and rounded face.

"She seems to like you," Lorelai observed as the little girl closed her eyes contentedly.

"I guess." Luke rocked her gently. As she started to fall asleep, he handed her back to Lorelai. "I'm going back to check on my dad. You want me to bring you anything?"

"A change of clothes would be nice."

"Erm, I'm not sure I really want to be going through your stuff."

"Just ask Mia to pack me something. All you have to do is pick it up there."

"Okay. I'll see you in about an hour."

"Bye. And thanks."

"My pleasure."

Lorelai looked at the sleeping baby in her arms and then at the phone beside her bed. "We really should call your daddy," she said. She debated for a moment. "But that can always wait," she finally decided.

Two hours later, Lorelai lay in bed, still staring at the phone. The nurse had come by and taken Rory to the nursery half an hour before, leaving Lorelai alone and bored. Taking a deep breath, she finally mustered the courage to pick up the phone and dial the number she knew by heart. She listened to it ring twice. . . three times. . . four times. Just as Lorelai was about to hang up, a male voice answered. "Hello?"

"Chris!" Lorelai said, recognizing his voice instantly. "It's Lorelai."

"Lor? What are you calling for?" Lorelai notice his speech was slurred. Listening closer, she heard loud voices and music in the background.

"Are you having a party?" Lorelai questioned.

"My parents are out of town for the weekend, so I invited some friends over."

"Are you drunk, Chris?"

"No! Is that why you called? To yell at me?" Lorelai knew he was drunk from the sound of his voice, but she decided not to press the issue.

"No, Chris, I'm just calling to say that I had the baby."

"What?"

"I had the baby, Chris. It's a beautiful girl. Her name's Rory."

"So? You made it pretty clear three months ago that I'm not going to be a part of this baby's life."

"No, Chris, I said you weren't going to be a part of my life. You're Rory's father. You have every right to be a part of her life. I'm leaving that door open, Chris. If you want to see her, just come to Stars Hollow. It's a small town about forty-five minutes north of Hartford. Anybody there can tell you where to find me."

"Okay, Lor."

"Don't be a stranger, Chris."

"I won't."

"And don't tell my parents any of this. I don't want them to come and drag me home."

"Okay. Bye, Lor."

"By, Chris." Lorelai hung up the phone and looked up to see Luke standing in the doorway with her duffel bad. "How much did you hear?" she asked.

"Enough. Are you getting back together with that guy?"

"No. Chris and I are over for good. I was just telling him that he could come see Rory whenever he wanted. He _is _her father after all."

"I guess." Luke set the bag on the floor. "Where is Rory anyway?"

"In the nursery."

"Oh." He sat in one of the chairs and spread his legs out in front of him.

"You don't have to stay," Lorelai said.

"I want to. Besides, this way I can take you home tomorrow when they discharge you. I brought Liz's old baby carrier and everything."

"Where exactly do you plan on putting a baby carrier? Are we going to strap in down in the bed of your truck?"

Luke held up a set of keys. "I brought Mia's car."

"You thought of everything, didn't you?"

"I tried."

It was late afternoon the next day before the doctor finally discharged Lorelai. She grumbled the whole time, especially when the nurse forced her to use a wheelchair to reach the car. Luke pushed her out before taking Rory from her lap and carefully strapping her into the car seat. He then helped Lorelai into the car and returned the wheelchair before they headed for Stars Hollow.

When Luke pulled up in front of the inn, Lorelai climbed out of the car without any assistance and unbuckled Rory's car seat. She pulled her daughter into her arms and turned her toward the shed. "Home sweet home," she announced.


	7. Chapter 7

Lorelai paced the shed with her week-old daughter, trying desperately to put her to sleep. Dark circles shadowed Lorelai's red, puffy eyes, a clear indicator of her lack of sleep. Although Mia had given Lorelai a couple weeks off to care for her baby, Lorelai still felt stressed and overworked. Rory rarely slept, and when she did, it was only for an hour or two at a time. Of course, this insomnia meant Lorelai only slept for an hour or two at a time, and lack of sleep was beginning to take its toll.

Luke had been wonderful. He had stopped by every day after work with food and often stayed a few hours to help with Rory. Lorelai loved watching them interact; being with Rory brought out a soft side of Luke that Lorelai had never seen before. And Rory loved Luke; she typically stopped crying as soon as he picked her up. Luke and Rory shared a bond that Lorelai could only begin to fathom.

Friday night brought an awful thunderstorm to Stars Hollow. Sheets of rain fell down around the inn, and Lorelai could hear the ceaseless clatter of raindrops on the roof. Lightning it up the house suddenly, followed almost immediately by a loud clap of thunder. Lorelai remembered enough from her science class to know the storm was close. The sudden sound of thunder caused Rory to cry louder, and Lorelai tried to soothe her. A loud knock at the door startled her, and she approached it cautiously. She swung it open to reveal Luke standing on the doorstep. His clothes had been soaked through, and his shoes and the cuffs of his pants were caked with mud, but he seemed not to notice. "Luke, what's wrong?" Lorelai inquired.

"It's my dad," he said softly. "He collapsed. I called 911, and they talk him to the hospital, but they wouldn't let me ride in the ambulance with him. I was going to follow, but my truck's not been working right lately. I'm scared, Lorelai, scared as hell, and I didn't know where else to go."

"It's fine. Come in." He moved stiffly into the house, trialing water and mud. Lorelai found him a towel and wrapped it around his shoulders. He remained perfectly still, staring straight ahead in shock. "Here. Take Rory for a minute." Lorelai placed the baby in his arms, and he automatically cuddled her in his hands. Her presence seemed to jar him from his stupor.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get the keys to Mia's car. We need to get to the hospital.

"No, Lorelai, you can't come. What about Rory?"

"She can come, too. Just calm down. Everything'll be fine."

Lorelai came back a couple minutes later with the keys. She quickly threw some of Rory's things in a diaper bag she had pieced together from her old clothing. She took Rory from Luke and laid her in the baby carrier before loading everything into Mia's car. They drove to the hospital in silence. Even Rory seemed to sense that something was wrong, for she did not make a noise the entire trip. When they pulled into the parking lot, Lorelai quickly grabbed Rory and the diaper bag and made her way to the nurses' station. Luke followed, still lost in his own world. "William Dane, please," Lorelai told the nurse, shifting the bag to a more comfortable spot on her shoulder.

"Are you family, ma'am?" the nurse asked.

"That's his son." Lorelai pointed to Luke who was staring blankly at the posters on the wall. The nurse looked at him and nodded sympathetically.

"Room 3019."

"Thank you." Lorelai grabbed Luke's arm and led him toward the elevator. They found room 3019 quickly. "I'm going to take Rory and wait out here," Lorelai said, pointing to a small waiting room. "That way, you can have some time alone." Luke nodded dumbly and walked into the room.

William was barely recognizable beneath all the tubes and wires. His skin was pale and paper-thin, and his face was sunken and skeletal. "Dad.," Luke said, biting back the tears as he took his father's hand. It was as cold as ice.

The doctor who was standing next to William's bed looked up at Luke. "Is this your father?" he asked. Luke nodded, looking at his father's gaunt face. "Can we step outside to talk for a moment?"

"I'll be right back, Dad," Luke promised, releasing his father's hand. He followed the doctor outside and immediately began to question him. "What's wrong with him? Is he going to be okay?"

"Your father's cancer is not responding to chemotherapy," the doctor said gently. "It's metastasized. He has a tumor pushing on the main artery to the brain, cutting off most of the blood supply. He suffered a minor stroke before."

"But he'll be okay, right? I mean, it was only a minor stroke."

"It was only a minor stroke last time, but his brain is still deprived of oxygen. I'm sorry, but I don't think he'll live past forty-eight hours."

"What? No, that can't be right! You can operate, can't you?"

"I'm sorry, but operating is not an option at this point. Your father's heart is weak. He could never survive an operation."

"There has to be another option! He can't just die!"

"Son, at this point, there's nothing more we can do. Go spend some time with yoyur father. Say goodbye."

"I don't want to say goodbye."

"I know it's hard."

"No, you don't! Don't' you dare patronize me!"

"Is there any family we can call?"

"I've got a sister, but she's in New York. Not that she'd come anyway," Luke said bitterly. "Hell, I don't even know her number."

"I'm truly sorry, son."

"Unfortunately, that doesn't change the fact that my father's dying." Luke turned and walked back into the room, attempting to pull on a brave face. He approached the bed and took his father's hand again. "Hey, Dad. It's Luke. You need to start getting better, or I might accidentally set the hardware store on fire again," he said, referring to a time when he was eight and found a book of matches. Curious, he had lit one and stared at the flame, fascinated. Of course, the fire had eventually reached the end of the match and burned his fingers, so he had dropped it on the half-finished table William was building. Luckily, William had smelled the smoke and put out the fire before it had spread.

William's eyes opened. "I'm dying, Luke."

"No, you aren't, Dad. Don't talk like that. You're going to come home soon and help me with the hardware store. . ."

"No, Luke. You're going to go open that diner you've always dreamed of owning. I'm sure Buddy and Maisy can give you some pointers."

"I'll open the diner eventually, Dad. When I save up enough money to buy a building for it."

"You have a building. 710 Third Street."

"Dad, that's William's Hardware."

"Not anymore. It's yours now. And you're going to remodel it and open a diner. It's what your mother would've wanted you to do."

"Dad, I can't."

"Of course you can. Promise me you'll open a diner."

"Dad-"

"Promise." William's voice was growing weaker.

"I promise."

"Good." William licked his dry, cracked lips and took a deep breath. "I love you, Lucas. And Liz. Tell her that when you see her."

"No, Dad, you can tell her that."

"Goodbye, Luke."

"No, Dad, wait." Luke felt the tears in the corners of his eyes, but they still did not spill over. He heard a long, steady beep as William closed his eyes, and a nurse and the doctor Luke had talked to earlier both rushed into the room. Luke was pushed to the side as the doctor bent over William, placing two fingers on his neck and listening for breathing. He shook his head at the nurse. "Time of death 10:53 pm," he said, glancing at the clock. Luke did not hear anything after that. It was as if somebody had suddenly placed a large pair of earmuffs over his ears. The few sounds he did hear sounded as if they were coming from a great distance. He walked numbly out of the room, and his feet carried him to the waiting room where Lorelai was sitting, rocking Rory's carrier gently. She immediately noticed the distress on Luke's face.

"Luke, what's wrong?" She stood up in front of him.

"He's dead," Luke said. "Gone. Never coming back. Dead." For the first time in years, Luke began to cry openly. All the tears that had been building up since his father had collapsed poured out, cascading down his cheeks. "Dead," he kept repeating. "My father's dead." Lorelai wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close, allowing him to let his grief out. They stood that way for a few minutes, Luke still sobbing, heedless of the other people in the waiting room. At some point in time, they sat down, for when Luke pulled out of her embrace, he was sitting in one of the hard plastic chairs. "You should get going. Take Rory home," he said, wiping his eyes with the back of his hands.

"I'm staying," she declared firmly. "Last weekend, you helped me. It's my turn this weekend."

He smiled weakly. "Why do we have to take turns?"

"So we each get a chance to help the other one."

Thirty minutes later, Luke was stretched out across a couple chairs, fast asleep. Lorelai was still awake, reading a magazine she had found in the waiting room. Rory began to cry, and she picked her up and fed her. Unfortunately, Rory's cries did not stop once she was full. Lorelai bounced her on her shoulder. "Let me take her," Luke said. Startled, Lorelai looked over at him. She had not realized he was awake.

"No, Luke, it's fine. I've got her."

"No, I want to take her. It's nice to hold her." He held out his arms, and Lorelai transferred Rory to him. Her weeping stopped, and she gurgled contentedly. "See, sweetheart, it's not so bad," Luke told her. "Everything will eventually work out just fine." He held her close as he leaned back in his seat.

A nurse approached Lorelai about an hour later. "Are you the family of William Danes?" she asked.

"That's his son." Lorelai pointed to Luke who had fallen asleep with Rory on his chest. She gently shook him awake, and he blinked up at the nurse. "Luke, this nurse needs to talk to you," Lorelai told him. He looked at her briefly and nodded before handing her Rory and standing. Lorelai watched as the two walked to a deserted corner and talked for a few minutes. Luke came back and took Rory from Lorelai's arms again without saying a word.

"Everything okay?" Lorelai asked.

"My father just died, Lorelai. What do you think?" he snapped.

"Luke, I'm sorry. I was just wondering-"

"No, I'm sorry," he said, rubbing his temple with one hand as his other arm rocked Rory. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's just so much to deal with."

"Luke, you're not alone."

"I know, but. . . it's just so hard."

"I guess you just made arrangements for his body."

"Yeah. They're sending it to Hartford Funeral Home."

"Okay. Why don't we go home and get some rest, and we can start calling relatives in the morning."

"I need to call my sister tonight."

"I can do that."

"I don't even have the number!"

"I'll find it. Don't worry." Lorelai grabbed her stuff and led Luke to the car. He fell asleep almost immediately after he sat down.

By 10:30 the following morning, Lorelai had helped Luke call all of his relatives and his father's friends. She had left a message on Liz's answering machine, hoping Liz would listen to it soon. After calling the funeral home, they had scheduled a viewing that afternoon at 5:00 and a funeral for the following day at 3:00. Luke still seemed to be in a daze; Lorelai had to force him to eat breakfast, and he only consented after she allowed him to hold Rory. When they left to look at coffins, she practically had to drag him out of the apartment.

They ignored all the ornate coffins in the store, knowing that William would have wanted something simple. Finally, Lorelai spotted a plain, mahogany coffin which, though simple, was beautiful in its own way. "What about this one, Luke?" Lorelai wondered.

"Huh?"

"This coffin. Do you like it?"

Suddenly, Luke snapped. "I'm going to put my father's body in that. Do you _think _I like it? Hell no! God, I'm tired of this!" With that, he stormed out of the store. Lorelai was stunned for a moment but soon recovered and ran after him. Though Luke was walking, his strides were long and fast, and Lorelai had to jog to keep up.

"Luke, wait!" She tried to grab his shoulder to stop him, but he slipped out of her grip. "Luke!" He ignored her and kept walking. "Luke, you still have Rory. This could be considered kidnapping." Luke stopped and spun around to face her.

"Do you know what it's like to walk around and see everyone whispering about you like you're blind? To have everyone stopping you on the streets telling you that you have their condolences and that they're so sorry. I'm sick of it! I'm sick of all the sympathy. I'm sick of picking out coffins and hymns and verses! I don't want to plan a funeral or write an obituary! I just want him back!" Luke started to cry for the second time in as many days. He cursed himself silently; he was becoming quite the pussy. But he could not quell the stream of tears which flowed down his face. He buried his head in Lorelai's shoulder as she pulled him closer. He needed her; she and Rory were all he had to live for now that his father was gone. Since Liz had run off with Jimmy, she was the closest person he had to family. He had certainly never been close with any of his other relatives.

"Luke, I can make all the arrangements if you want. Or we can push the funeral back a day so things aren't so hectic," Lorelai offered.

"No, I want the funeral to be tomorrow. And I want to help plan it. I just needed to get that off my chest."

"Well, if you ever need to get anything else off your chest, I'm all ears."

"Thanks for everything."

"No problem. It's the least I could do after everything you've done for me."

When Luke and Lorelai entered the small church at 2:45 the next afternoon, it was nearly full. Luke walked purposefully toward a couple pews with a sign that read: "Family Only." Lorelai started to turn toward the other pews in the church, but Luke took her hand and pulled her with him. "Luke these are for family," Lorelai said.

"You're close enough. Besides, I need you here. And Rory." Lorelai looked at his pleading eyes and nodded in acquiescence. He led her to a free spot in the front pew. She sat Rory's carrier down beside her and looked at the sleeping baby. She had grown considerably in a week, gaining nearly two pounds and about an inch in length. She had also grown considerably more hair, all brown and wavy.

As the preacher began to speak, Luke's hand found Lorelai's, and their fingers intertwined. Lorelai squeezed it comfortingly, and he turned to look at her. She noticed he had no tears in his eyes; he had cried all he could the past two days. His grief was still present, and his heart still ached, but he had no desire to cry. He did not need to do so. The preacher continued to speak for a few minutes before saying, "And now, William's son, Luke, would like to say a few words." Lorelai looked at Luke in surprise; she had no idea he planned to speak. He simply gave her hand a squeeze before releasing it and standing up.

"Most of you know me pretty well," Luke said as he stood at the podium. "I grew up here. This town always has been and always will be my home. It was a home to my father as well, and from the number of people here today, I thinking he made the right choice in settling here. As most of you know, I'm not very good at expressing my feelings, so you're going to have to bear with me here. My father was a great person. He was a good parent, a good business partner, but most of all, a good friend. I'm going to miss him, but I know he's better off now. He's no longer in pain, and he's with my mom, so he's happy, I'm sure. So I guess what I really want to say is goodbye, Dad. I love you. I always have, and I always will." Luke looked sadly at the coffin before stepping down and sitting down again. Many people in the sanctuary were sobbing. Luke looked around, and he saw someone ducking to hide her face—someone with long, blond hair. It did not take Luke long to realize who it was. Liz was the only person he knew with hair like that. He had no idea why she was hiding from him, but he decided to leave her alone. She would approach him if she wanted to.

After the service, the entire church emptied as everyone followed the coffin to the cemetery. Luke was one of the pallbearers, of course; he refused to let anyone take his place for the entire trip. Lorelai knew that he would carry the coffin by himself if he could, but that would be taxing even for his strength. They finally reached the cemetery after about half an hour, and the preacher said another short prayer before the coffin was lowered into the freshly dug hole. Rory was beginning to become fussy, and Lorelai rubbed her back gently to soothe her. Rory's cries became more insistent, and Lorelai knew she needed to change her and feed her. She walked up to Luke who was standing by the grave, staring at the coffin. She touched his elbow. "Luke, I need to take this little one home.

"I'll come with you," he said, tearing his gaze from the grave.

"No. Stay here as long as you need to. I can come back later."

"I want to be with you and Rory. I need to let go." Lorelai looked into his eyes and saw that he was being completely serious.

"Okay then. Let's go." Luke started to leave but turned back. He picked up a handful of dirt and let it fall onto the coffin. The act held a certain finality, a reminder that he would never see his father again. As much as it hurt, Luke knew he was doing the right thing by letting go.

"Goodbye, Dad," he said sadly before joining Lorelai and Rory.


	8. Chapter 8

November brought a cold front to Stars Hollow. At times, the wind was virtually unbearable; it would cut through Lorelai's clothing no matter how many layers she put on. For this reason, Lorelai stayed indoors as much as possible. She had returned to work a month before and was busier than ever because of the upcoming holiday season. The inn was filled to capacity nearly every night and was booked solid until after Christmas.

After work, Lorelai and Rory drove to William's old hardware store as they usually did. Mia had given Lorelai an old car she never used (despite Lorelai's objections), and Luke had helped her to fix it. Although it was not the greatest car in the world, it drove, and that was all Lorelai cared about.

Lorelai was surprised Luke had time to help her fix her car. After his father's death, Luke had begun work on fulfilling his promise. He held a closing sale at the hardware store and used the profits to pay for renovations. Because he no longer needed an office, Luke turned William's old office/ workroom into a small apartment. He added a kitchen and a small closet before moving all his furniture into the space The office already contained a bathroom, so the remodeling only took a week. After the apartment was completed, Luke tackled the bigger task of remodeling the lower floor. He single-handedly removed all the remaining merchandise to the front of the store so he could start building a kitchen in the back. Although he hired a contractor, Luke pitched in with most of the work.

When Lorelai pulled up to the store, she smiled up at the William's Hardware sign which still hung next to the door. Luke refused to take it down, and Lorelai understood the sentiment behind his refusal. Besides, she also liked having the sign. It was comforting, a reminder that William would always be watching over them.

When Lorelai walked into the store, the first person she saw was Tom, the contractor. He was a little under six feet tall with a slightly heavy build and thinning brown hair. He was one of those people who she could glance at and immediately know what he did for a living. He _looked _like a contractor, from his dusty work boots to his beer belly to his calculating eyes. At the moment, he was finishing a soda as he looked over some blueprints. "Hey, Tom!" Lorelai greeted. She set Rory's carrier down on a nearby chair.

"Hey, Lorelai! I'll call Luke." Before Tom could call him, Luke emerged from the back, wiping the dust off his hands. He smiled when he saw Lorelai and Rory.

"I thought you guys would be stopping by sometime soon." He picked up Rory and threw her in the air, catching her deftly. She smiled at him. "You're getting pretty heavy there, Princess. Soon, I won't be able to pick you up anymore," he teased. He loved playing with Rory, for looking at her helped him to realize that life does come full circle. Although people die, there is always a younger generation to take their place.

"What can I help with today?" Lorelai asked.

"You can look at this stuff and see if there's anything you want." Luke gestured to the few items remaining in the store. "Because tomorrow's the last day I'm going to be selling it. We need to start work here."

"It's like a garage sale."

"But you don't have to pay anything.'

"Luke, I couldn't take this stuff for free!"

"Sure you can. I should actually be paying you for taking all this junk off my hands." He tickled Rory's stomach, and she gurgled happily. "You can go wait upstairs when you're done. I've got to finish up a few things, and then I'll come up and make us some dinner." He turned towards the back of the store.

"You taking Rory with you?" Lorelai asked. He stopped and turned back around.

"Sorry." He handed Rory to her mother. "I'll see you in a bit."

Lorelai was watching television when Luke joined her. He grabbed a shirt and walked to the bathroom to change. Lorelai rolled her eyes. She had seen the upper half of his body before, (and greatly enjoyed seeing it, too) and she did not understand why he was so concerned about changing his shirt in front of her. When he came back out, he appeared to have splashed water on his face which he was toweling dry. "Lasagna okay?" he questioned.

"It sounds great." Luke took out a pot and began to boil the water for the noodles as Lorelai rocked Rory to sleep. Once the baby's eyes closed, Lorelai placed her in a crib set up in the corner of the room. Luke had built Lorelai a crib for the storage shed and had set up his old crib in his apartment so Rory would have a place to sleep when she and Lorelai were over.

"Thanksgiving's next week," Luke said as he joined Lorelai by Rory's crib. He ran a finger gently over the baby's cheek.

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, since my dad died and Liz is gone, you and Rory are about the closest people I've got to family. So I figured you could come over here and I could make some Thanksgiving dinner for us."

"Sure. When have you ever known me to pass up free food?"

On Thanksgiving, Lorelai was naturally running late. She scrambled to collect all of Rory's things, knowing she should have left ten minutes before She raced out the door with the diaper bag and baby carrier before realizing that the carrier was unusually light. Lorelai checked it and panicked before running back into the house to grab Rory from her crib.

Lorelai was extremely flustered by the time she reached Luke's apartment. He opened the door with an expression of bemusement. "You're earlier than I expected. Usually, you're a good twenty minutes late."

"You _knew _I was going to be late?"

"You're always late. I assumed this time would be no different."

"You know what they say about assuming."

"I'll take my chances." He stepped back from the doorway, and Lorelai walked. As he closed the door behind her, Rory began to cry. Luke reached for her before realizing he was still wearing an oven mitt. Lorelai smiled.

"Go finish dinner. I'll take care of her." As Luke turned back to his cooking, she took Rory out of her carrier and soothed her as she pulled a towel from the diaper bag. Lorelai draped the towel over her chest before unbuttoning the top two buttons of her blouse to feed Rory.

"Okay, the turkey should be done in about thirty minutes, and the stuffing. Aw geez." Luke turned around and saw Lorelai feeding Rory. "Do you have to do that in front of me?" he asked, trying not to focus his eyes on her chest.

"Luke, it's a perfectly natural process. And Rory's hungry, so I didn't have many options. Unless you have something you'd like to share with me."

"I'm just saying it seems a bit. . . awkward."

"Luke, once you give birth, all awkwardness flies out the window."

"Well, I guess my awkwardness is going to remain then."

"Guess so." As Rory finished her meal, Lorelai switched her to one shoulder and buttoned her top back with her free hand. She burped Rory and began trying to rock her to sleep. Luke stared at her for a minute before commenting, "You look good holding a kid. It seems to fit."

Lorelai looked at him in astonishment, knowing he was not one to express his feelings. Before she could stop herself, she responded, "Thanks. You do, too."

Luke smiled in spite of himself. He had never pictured himself with kids; they appeared to be nothing but trouble. Babies cried constantly and grew up into toddlers who could not keep their sticky hands off anything before becoming children who were worse than the other two put together. Being with Rory and Lorelai, however, changed everything. Luke loved Rory. He enjoyed holding her and playing with her even when she cried. Having kids suddenly did not seem so awful. Carefully, Luke took Rory from her mother and placed her in her crib. "Sweet dreams, Princess," he told her.

As soon as they sat down at the table, Lorelai raised her fork to begin eating. "Uh, shouldn't we say something first?" Luke wondered.

"What? Like a prayer?"

"Well, my dad and I used to say what we were thankful for. It was a tradition my mom started."

"I'm not one to interfere with tradition. You wanna start?"

"Uhh. . . sure. I guess I'm thankful for this food. And that I'll have a functional diner in a few days. And I'm thankful. . . that I met you." Luke blushed as he said this but plowed onward. "And that I've gotten to be a part of Rory's life and interact with her. She's an amazing kid."

"That she is. So I guess I'll start with Rory. I'm thankful that she's healthy and seems happy. I'm thankful that she came into my life because it feels like she has made my life more complete and given me a purpose. I'm thankful for Mia who's been absolutely wonderful with the inn and the car and everything. I'm thankful for the storage shed which may not be big but provides shelter. And I'm thankful for you. I'm thankful that you would go to all this trouble to cook me this wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. I'm thankful for al the help you've given me over the past few weeks with Rory and with all the things you've fixed. But most of all, I'm thankful that you gave me a reason to be happy again and showed me that I can do anything." There, she had said it. She looked at his face to gauge his reaction. He seemed surprised at first as he processed everything she had said. Their eyes met, and Lorelai could feel the spark flying as if the air surrounding her had suddenly gained an electric charge. Unconsciously, she leaned forward, and Luke mimicked her action. She was mesmerized by his blue eyes, staring into them like they provided a window to his innermost thoughts. She wanted to kiss him. God, how she wanted to kiss him. But she could not. She did not even know if he felt the same way about her, and she had Rory to worry about.

Luke had also sensed the connection between him and Lorelai the moment their eyes met. He was ready to crush her to him and shower her with kisses, but reason held him back. Lorelai had referred to them as "friends" on countless occasions. That was how she saw him—as a god friend, but not boyfriend material. He did not want anything to ruin their friendship.

At the same instant, both looked down at their plates. It was easier to control desire when they were not staring at the object of their affections. "So how's the turkey?" Luke asked. It was the kind of stupid question someone would ask when trying to avoid an awkward silence.

"Very good. It's not dry at all." Lorelai attempted to keep the conversation mundane, avoiding the proverbial elephant in the room.

"Good. I tried not to overcook it. A lot of people have that problem, you know. They want to make sure it's fully cooked, but they end up leaving it in the oven too long." Luke as rambling, and he knew it. Sometimes, he wished he could work up the nerve to ask her out so things would be comfortable between them. Unless, of course, she refused him. That would simply make things more uncomfortable.

"Yeah. A few of my mother's maids had that problem."

"I'm guessing your mother fired them."

"She would've fired them even if they cooked the turkey perfectly. I'm sure they would've had some other little fault that Emily Gilmore could criticize. She actually fired one maid because she walked too loudly. Oh, and another because she accidentally switched her knives and forks when she was setting the table."

"Pretty harsh."

"Satan incarnate."

"I guess the whole harsh thing runs in the family."

After dinner, Lorelai insisted on washing the dishes. Knowing he would indubitably lose an argument, Luke found a towel and began to dry the clean dishes and put them away. As he stacked a plate in the cabinet, Rory began to cry. Lorelai started to wash off her hands, but Luke stopped her. "Don't worry. I'll get her." He walked over to the crib and picked the baby up. "Hey, sweetheart, what's wrong?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I think she needs to be changed."

"Okay, I'll be right over."

"No, don't worry about it. I'll do it."

"You know how?"

"I've seen you change her a few times. I think I can manage. Let's see." He pushed a couple items to the back of his dresser and laid Rory's changing pad on top. He placed the baby in the center of it and looked at her diaper for a second. "Okay, so first I pull these tabs up and take off the dirty diaper," Luke said as he carefully pulled off the soiled diaper. "Okay, now wipe and powder. Then put a new diaper back on. Right?"

"Right. Just make sure you put the tabs in the back and pull them tight before you fasten them. You wouldn't want the diaper falling off." Luke nodded as he did a he instructed, and he soon picked a clean Rory up and tossed her in the air. "Hey, it didn't fall off! Not bad, mister," Lorelai said.

"I guess. What do you want me to do with these?" Luke indicated the dirty diaper and the baby wipe with a wave of his hand.

"Unless you want to keep them for posterity, I'd suggest putting them in a plastic bag and throwing it in the dumpster."

"Okay." Luke handed Rory to Lorelai who had finished washing dishes and dried her hands. He grabbed a plastic bag from beneath the sink.

"So, how was your first time?" Lorelai inquired.

"What?" Luke turned bright red.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Luke. I meant how was your first time changing a diaper?" Luke was still red, now mostly from embarrassment over his mistake.

"Not bad. It's easier than I thought it would be."

"Just be thankful Rory's not a boy."

"What?"

"Well, it Rory decides to finish her business while you're changing her, at least nothing will hit you in the face."

"Aw geez, Lorelai."

A couple weeks later, work on the diner was finally finished. Luke had gone to the Independence Inn to find Lorelai and Rory so the three of them could celebrate together. Luke hoped to cook the first meal on his new stove for him and Lorelai, and, if everything went well, he could ask her out on an official date afterward. They had been avoiding the issue for too long, and he felt as if he might explode if he did not ask her soon. He had a plan.

As he walked into the front lobby, Luke spotted Lorelai and stopped in his tracks. Lorelai as standing in the far corner of the dining room, clearly visible from his vantage point. She was surrounded by four of the younger waiters, and Luke could tell from her coy smile that she was flirting. He had been on the receiving end of that smile enough to know the effect it had on people. One of the waiters disappeared for a minute and returned with a large piece of chocolate cake. Lorelai's smile broadened, and Luke saw from the expression on the waiter's face that he was immensely pleased with himself.

Luke could not stand and watch the scene any longer. Jealousy raged through him, threatening to manifest itself violently. He did not understand why he was jealous; they were not dating. _'Yet,' _he thought, reminding himself of his plans for the evening. But there was no way he could ask her out now, not after he had seen her flirting with the waiters. He should have known better than to think that she would exclusively flirt with him. She probably would have found the idea of a date with him laughable. After all, she was brought up in money and had rubbed elbows with some of society's most important people. On top of that, she was stunning, possessing a beauty no words could adequately describe. Why would she even consider going out with him, a guy with only a high school education who was destined to live the rest of his life in a small town and own a diner?

By the time Luke reached his diner (for now that the construction was finished, he could call it that), he had convinced himself that Lorelai did not and would never have any feelings for him. He was not going to ask her out. He could not take the rejection he was sure would follow that question. Instead, he contented himself with some last minute cleaning, preparing for the diner's opening the following day.

Lorelai was disappointed when Luke did not show up at the inn that evening. He had been meeting her there the past few days, and she always enjoyed his visits. Seeing him waiting for her seemed to make the end of her shift fly by faster. Without him there, the last hour of her shift seemed interminably long. As soon as the clock hit 5:00, Lorelai clocked out, grabbed Rory and her diaper bag, and headed for Luke's.

"Luke, it's me!" Lorelai called as she walked in the door.

"Hi." Luke emerged from the back.

"Looks like you finally cleaned this place up and put out all the furniture."

"Tomorrow _is _the opening day."

"So, you're right on schedule then." Luke grunted in response as he glanced over a few papers he held in his hand. "Okay, Mr. Monosyllable, you're even quieter than usual. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"No, Luke, I know it's something. Just tell me-"

"I already told you, it's nothing!" he snapped. "Just quit bugging me so I can finish these damn bills!" As soon as he yelled at her, Luke regretted it. He always regretted it. Seeing the hurt in her eyes always tore his heart, especially when he knew he was the cause. But he was stubborn, and apologies were not something he was good at. Sometimes, it was easier just to be mad at Lorelai so he would not have to deal with the other emotions running through his head.

Lorelai watched Luke disappear into the back again, wondering what she had missed. He had seemed perfectly amicable when she had met him for lunch. Of course, they had argued, but they always argued. Usually, it was harmless banter with no aggression behind it. Tonight, however, was different. Luke would not look Lorelai directly in the eye, and his argumentative answers were not in jest. Instinctively, Lorelai knew something was bothering him, but she could not convince her to tell him what it was.

He finally came back out of the kitchen twenty minutes later, clutching more papers. He grabbed a nearby pen and sat down at a table to fill them out without once glancing at Lorelai. Lorelai sighed and sat down in the seat across from him. She stared at him for a couple minutes before he looked up, wearing a scowl. "What?" he asked irritably.

"Luke, I know something's bugging you. I need you to trust me enough to tell me what it is."

"Oh, you want to know what it is, do you? Maybe what's bugging me is the fact that I was going to ask you out today. I had it all planned—what I would wear, the food I would cook—everything. But then I went to the inn and saw you with the guys, and I realized I'm just like them. I'm just another poor, hapless soul who's been caught in Lorelai's web. What did you want me for, huh? Maybe free food or someone to fix your stuff? Soon, I'll be bringing you cake and just hoping that you'll acknowledge me!" He turned to storm away but stopped when he heard Lorelai's voice.

"That's not true," she whispered.

"What?"

"What you said about being like those guys at the inn. That's not true." Lorelai thought admitting her feelings about Luke to him would be hard after all the time they had spent as friends, but once she started, it became easier and easier to keep talking. "You're not like those guys at the inn. I flirted with them because I wanted cake, and flirting was the quickest and easiest way to get it. But I flirted with you because. . . because I was hoping one day you might grow some balls and ask me out. I guess I was harboring false hopes." With that, she grabbed Rory's carrier and diaper bag and turned to leave.

"Lorelai!" Luke shouted suddenly, causing her to turn around. Before he had time to plan what he was going to say, he was already talking. "Want to. . . go out sometime?"

"Sure." Lorelai's face broke into a wide smile.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Lorelai drove to the newly completed diner, eager to discuss plans for their upcoming date. When she reached the diner, she found a crowd of people waiting outside. "What's going on?" she asked Miss Patty who was standing near the back. The large woman turned around and smiled with delight when she saw Rory and Lorelai. Her green eyes sparkled merrily.

"Well, it's my two favorite girls. How are you two this morning?"

"Good, Ms. Patty. Why's everyone waiting outside?"

"Well, it seems young Luke got cold feet. He refuses to open the diner, and no one can convince him to. No one so far, at least. But I can think of one person who can easily convince him." Ms. Patty arched her eyebrows suggestively, and Lorelai smiled.

"I'll see what I can do." She slipped out of the crowd and walked around the diner to the half-concealed back door. She knocked soundly on it.

"Go away!" Luke grumbled.

"Luke, it's me!" For a minute, he made no response, and Lorelai decided he was ignoring her. She was about to start imploring him to let her in when she heard the unmistakable sounds of a key being turned in a lock.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I want you to go open this diner. There's a lot of hungry people out there."

"I can't, Lorelai."

"Sure you can."

"No. You don't understand. I can't do this. I can't run my own business; I have no experience. I can't cook for a bunch of different people! I just can't!"

"I remember saying something similar about this one." Lorelai pointed to the baby carrier in her right hand. "And I also remember you telling me I was going to be an amazing mother. Well, you're going to be an amazing diner owner."

"What if I'm not?" Lorelai caught sight of a newspaper, and an idea popped into her head. She walked over to it and set Rory's carrier on the ground. She picked it up and quickly thumbed through it.

"Your birthday's in March, right?" Lorelai questioned.

"Yeah. March 2. Why?" Lorelai did not respond but simply picked up a nearby pen and scribbled something on the paper before tearing out a section of the page and handing it to Luke. "What's this?" he asked.

"Read it," Lorelai instructed. With a shrug, Luke looked down at the piece of paper in his hands and saw that it was a horoscope: his horoscope, to be precise. The fish were unmistakable. On the bottom, Lorelai had written something in her untidy scrawl. It read, "You will open a very successful diner which will serve the best coffee on the East Coast. Just make sure your girlfriend gets the first cup." Luke smiled . He loved how the word looked on paper. Girlfriend. He had a girlfriend. And not just any girlfriend either. His girlfriend was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. Slowly, he looked up from the horoscope, and their eyes met.

"I guess I better go pour my girlfriend some coffee and open that frot door." God, the word sounded perfect, too.

"I guess you better." Lorelai picked up a nearby apron and slipped it over her head.

"What are you doing?" Lorelai asked.

"Putting on an apron. What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Why are you putting on an apron?"

"Luke, have you seen the number of people out there? There's no way you can take everyone's orders, cook all their food, and serve them. So I'll waitress while you cook."

"What about the inn?"

"Mia gave me the morning off, so I'm all yours for a few hours.

They decided to wait to have their first real date the following Friday, exactly one week before Christmas. After a good deal of discussion, they decided that she would eat dinner at Lorelai's house so they could stay with Rory. Since Rory was still so young, it was easier that way. So at 5:30, Luke showed up at Lorelai's door with a large bag from his diner. Lorelai greeted him with a smile; they had not reached the kissing phase of their relationship yet. Luke smiled back before entering the shed and setting the bag down on the counter.

"Did you bring hamburgers?" Lorelai asked excitedly, eyeing the bag.

"Something better," Luke promised, still grinning. He began to unload the bag, setting the plastic containers of food on the table. Lorelai watched him curiously, wondering what he had brought her. Seeing her anticipation, Luke decided to have a little fun. He slowly walked to the cabinets to grab some plates and then made a show of looking for the forks although he knew exactly where they were. Leisurely, he brought the dishes to the table and set them down.

"Luke, if you don't open that container soon, I'll do it for you."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"Luke," she whined.

"Okay, okay." He pulled the lid off the container, and she leaned forward to look.

"Chicken pot pie?" Suddenly, she remembered his story. "Your mother's chicken pot pie?"

"Well, as close as I can get to it anyway." He pulled out a chair for her. "Shall we?" She sat down, and he took the seat across from her. The meal began in silence as each took a bite.

"Oh my god, Luke, this is amazing! If this is not as good as your mother's, I can't even imagine what hers tasted like."

Luke chewed thoughtfully for a few seconds before answering. "You know, I think this is the closest my chicken pot pie has ever come to tasting like my mom's. I didn't do anything different, but it still tastes different."

"Maybe you finally figure out your mother's secret."

"Maybe. I just wish I knew what it was."

"So, your diner seems to be doing pretty well. Every time I go in there, the place is packed."

"Yeah. I might actually break even in the first year, and I can start making a profit next year."

"That would be nice."

"So, what about you? Howa are things at the inn?"

"I'm a maid. It's not the most exciting thing in the world."

"I'm sure you won't be a maid forever. It's a waste of your talents, and Mia knows that." Lorelai smiled at him.

"How can you always make me feel better, no matter what the circumstances?"

"It's a gift, I guess."

After dinner, Lorelai fed Rory while Luke washed the dishes. Although Luke was still not completely comfortable when Lorelai fed Rory in front of him, he was learning to ignore the fact that Lorelai was partially naked. At least, he was trying extremely hard to ignore that fact. He kept his eyes on the dishes the entire time he was working, only turning when he had put them all away. Luckily, Rory had finished eating, and Lorelai was trying to burp her. Luke walked over to her with his arms extended, and Lorelai handed Rory to him. As he bounced her on his shoulder, he sank onto the couch next to Lorelai. "What're we watching tonight?" he questioned, seeing that the television was on.

"Tonight, we watch a classic. _Casablanca._"

Luke groaned. "A chick flick? Come on, Lorelai."

"My house, my movie. When we're at your house, we can watch _Star Wars_ or something." Lorelai stood up to put in the movie.

"Fine. But if I fall asleep, don't blame me."

"You cannot fall asleep on a classic, Luke." Lorelai pressed lay and settled back on the couch with Luke as the movie began. She took the hand which was not holding Rory in hers, and he intertwined his fingers with hers. As he felt the steady rise and fall of Rory's chest against his shoulder and the warmth of Lorelai's hand in his own, he began to think that _Casablanca _might not be that bad after all.

As the movie continued, Lorelai steadily moved closer to Luke. She loosened her grip on his hand, signaling him to put his arm around her. Unfortunately, he did not seem to understand the hint, so Lorelai moved her body closer to his, allowing their knees to touch briefly. Luke looked at her for a second, his nervousness evident on every part of his face. She looked back at him, her eyes silently giving him permission. Carefully, he slipped his hands out of hers and draped his arm around her shoulders. Lorelai snuggled closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder as he gently stroked her upper arm with his hand. Feeling warm and comfortable in his arms, Lorelai wondered why she had waited so long to finally think of Luke as more than a friend.

When the movie ended, Luke put Rory in her crib and turned back to Lorelai. He was reluctant to leave; he wanted the night to continue forever. As if reading his thoughts, Lorelai said, "I really don't want you to go yet."

Luke sighed in relief. "That's good because I don't really want to leave yet."

"So. . ."

"So. . ." Luke laughed nervously, and Lorelai joined him.

"I think we can both say more than that," she remarked.

"Yeah." He glanced around the room. "You want anything else to eat?"

"Nah. I'm not really that hungry. Thanks though." Silence ensued until Luke worked up the courage to ask something that had been bugging him since Rory was born.

"Did Chris ever try to contact you again?"

"No. Not that I expected him to. He never wanted to be part of Rory's life; he just wanted to please my mother. Besides, he was drunk when I called him the first time."

"The first time?"

"Yeah. I called again after I got back from the hospital to give him the number at the inn. He told me he was going to school out west, so it would be hard to stay in touch. Not that I care."

"So will he still be part of Rory's life?"

"I can't shut him out completely since he _is _her father. But he pretty much shut himself out of Rory's life."

"I'm sorry," Luke lied.

"I'm not. It's better for both of them this way. And for me." She smiled at Luke, and he understood her meaning. "So, on to a more pleasant topic. Christmas is next week. Any plans?"

"No, not really. I figured we'd do something together." Luke looked up to see her reaction to his suggestion.

"Sounds good to me. We could have dinner together Christmas Eve. Sort of a celebration of the first Christmas Eve where I'm not stuck at my mother's stupid party making small talk with a bunch of snobs I don't like."

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll bring some food over."

"Okay. Ooh, we should go get a Christmas tree this week."

"Why? So we can promote the destruction of our nation's forests?"

"I feel a rant coming on."

Luke ignored her and plowed on. "Every year, Americans buy thousands of evergreens so they can put them up in their house and cover them with gaudy ornaments. Then, two weeks later, all the trees have to be hauled off to the dump. It's a stupid tradition that promotes senseless destruction of nature. I don't understand it and refuse to take part in it."

"How about I buy a fake tree?"

Luke looked at her for a moment before sighing loudly. "Deal."

"So, tomorrow then?"

"I close at 8:00." He looked at his watch. "Okay. I should probably get going." He leaned toward her. For a moment, Lorelai thought he was going to kiss her; instead, he simply pulled her into a light embrace.

"Goodbye. I'll see you tomorrow," she said.

"Bye."

Thursday night, Luke closed the diner early so he could make it to the inn by 6:30. He brought food, as usual—a hamburger for Lorelai, per her request, and a turkey burger for himself. As he put the hamburgers on two plates, Lorelai watched him hungrily. "You brought fries, too, right?" she asked. He held up a second container. "You're the best, Luke. You know that?"

"So I've been told." He handed her the fries and pulled out a salad for himself.

"What do you think?" Lorelai asked as they began to eat. She gestured to the tree in the corner, and Luke turned to see it. They had picked the tree out together the previous Saturday. At three and a half feet tall, it was rather small, but Lorelai had a limited budget. The lights were some that Lorelai had found in one of the storage closets at the inn, and the ornaments were all handmade.

"It's very nice," Luke complimented.

"Oh, there's one ornament you have to see!" Lorelai stood up and retrieved the precious ornament from the tree and handed it to Luke. He could not suppress a smile when he saw it. It was a picture of him, Lorelai, and Rory that Ms. Patty had taken at the Christmas Festival that year. Luke had his arm around Lorelai's shoulders, and she was holding Rory. They were both smiling genuine smiles, not the plastered-on smiles which usually appeared in pictures. Luke vividly recalled that festival; he usually refused to attend town festivals, seeing them as a waste of time. But Lorelai had convinced him to go, and he had found that he enjoyed the festival much more than he had expected to. "Turn it over," Lorelai told him, breaking him out of his reverie. Luke did as he was told. Lorelai had backed the ornament with stiff, white cardboard; on the back of the cardboard, she had written, "Luke, Lorelai, and Rory. Christmas 1984."

"Maybe decorating a tree isn't such a bad idea after all," Luke decided.

"I knew you'd come to your senses eventually." He rolled his eyes and hung the picture back on the tree, ensuring that it was clearly visible.

"That could be the first of many, you know," Lorelai mused. Luke looked up, startled. Was she suggesting what he thought she was suggesting? They were both still young, and their relationship was only beginning. It was too early to be thinking of long-term commitment. _' But you've thought about it, too,' _he reminded himself. _'Yeah, but that was only hypothetical. I never went out and got a ring. . . Well, maybe she's thinking hypothetically, too. Maybe you're reading too much into this. . . But it would be nice being carried. I could be a real father to Rory. I could live with the two of them and sleep in the same bed as Lorelai. . . Stop thinking like that, Danes, and concentrate on getting past your first kiss before you complicate things unnecessarily.'_

Lorelai was watching Luke, wishing he would say something. She wanted to take back what she had said, but she could not. It was out now, and she would have to deal with the consequences. But her little Freudian slip cased her to start thinking, too. Did she really want to marry Luke? After all, she was only sixteen and never much for commitment. Immediately, however, she knew the answer to her unspoken question. She _did_ want to marry Luke. Maybe not right away but eventually. He had been there for her when no one else was, and he had helped her make it through a tough couple of months with Rory. He was her rock. He was the one person she could always count on. Her feelings for him were nothing like her feelings for Chris; whenever she was around him, she felt a soaring feeling in her stomach she had never experienced before. She guessed it was love, but she could not know for sure since she did not know exactly what love was.

Finally, Luke broke the silence. "I guess it could be," he said.

"New Year's Eve's in a week," Lorelai remarked, attempting to change the subject before she said something else that would drive him away.

"So?"

"So, that means that the New Year's Eve festival's also a week away."

Luke groaned. "Lorelai, I went to the damn Christmas festival with you."

"And enjoyed it, too. Don't even try to deny it." Luke was silent. "That's what I thought. So why won't you go to this one? I promise I'll let you make fun of Taylor. I'll even help."

"One hour."

"Just one? Why not-"

"I don't have to go at all."

"One hour will be great. Ooh, I think Ms. Patty's making her Founder's Day punch. We could get really drunk and run off to Vegas to get hitched." There it was again, that pesky topic of marriage. It seemed that no matter how hard Lorelai tried, she kept bringing up that topic. Luke squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, and Lorelai made a clumsy attempt to cover her mistake. "Of course, I don't think we could get drunk enough to do that." _'Great, Lorelai, did yourself deeper into the hole. Now it seems as if you don't want him.' _Lorelai wanted to say something else to correct the latter mistake; however, she was afraid of what might come out of her mouth.

Luke tried to reduce some of the tension by remarking, "I don't know. This _is_ Ms. Patty's punch." Lorelai laughed. She finished her plate and placed it in the sink. Luke followed her and reached to turn on the water to wash dishes.

"Leave it," Lorelai instructed, touching his wrist. "I'll get it tomorrow. Come on, let's watch a movie." Reluctantly, he followed and sat down on the couch, watching as she bent over the VC. She found the two movies she had taken from the inn's collection earlier. "So, should we start with _Rudolph _or _How the Grinch Stole Chrismas_?"

"You got animated kid's movies?"

"These are Christmas classics, Luke."

"One's about a reindeer with a thirty watt light bulb on his nose and the other is about some village on a snowflake."

"Well, you've obviously seen the Grinch or you wouldn't know that."

"It was a long time ago."

"I didn't realize high school was that long ago."

"Funny, Lorelai. Can we just watch something else?"

"We could watch _It's a Wonderful Life._"

"God no! It 's worse than the other choices!"

"Have you ever seen it, Luke?"

"I've read about it. That's enough."

"No, it's not. You have to see a movie to really experience it."

"I don't want to experience it."

"Okay, fine. What about _A Christmas Story._"

"Is that the one with the crippled kid and the guy who hates Christmas?"

"Luke, you disappoint me. Tiny Tim and Scrooge are in _A Christmas __**Carol**_. _A Christmas Story_ has the kid who wants a rifle for Christmas and the leg lamp. Don't tell me you've never seen it."

"Fine. I wasn't."

"Oh my gosh, Luke, have you been living under a rock? They play that movie for 24 hours straight every Christmas. For weeks, people keep telling you, 'You'll shoot your eye out, kid.'"

"I don't watch much television."

"Tomorrow, we're having a Christmas movie marathon. It's time you got some culture."

"Well, what are we watching tonight?"

"_The Grinch _and _Rudolph_. I already told you."

"And the Grinch, he himself, even carved the roast beast," Lorelai quoted as the movie ended two hours later.

"How many times have you seen this movie?" Luke inquired incredulously.

"A few."

"You could quote the entire movie."

"I've read the book. It's the same."

"And sing all the songs word for word."

"They're not that hard to learn."

"If you say so." Luke stood up and glanced at his watch. "I should probably get going."

"Why? You're going to come back tomorrow morning, right?"

"Yeah. So?"

"So why go home? You can just stay the night."

"Where would I sleep?"

"On the bed."

"I'm not kicking you out of your own bed."

"You wouldn't be kicking me out. Luke, we're both mature, and the bed is pretty big. We can share it."

"I wouldn't really be comfortable sharing a bed with you."

"Oh." Lorelai was visibly disappointed.

"But I guess I could sleep on the couch."

"If that's what you want. But my offer's still good if you change your mind."

"Okay. I just need to get my overnight bag out of the truck."

"You have an overnight bag in your truck? Were you expecting to spend the night?"

"No! I just have it there so I don't have to worry about packing clothes when I go camping or when there's an emergency." He left and returned a couple minutes later with a fraying, grayish green duffel. He pulled out some clothes and looked at Lorelai.

"The bathroom's all yours," she told him. He nodded and walked behind the shower curtain. When he emerged a couple minutes later, he was wearing sweat pants and a black shirt which was considerably tighter than his usual flannel. Lorelai looked at him approvingly. "Very nice. You should wear that shirt more often. It's definitely an attention grabber." Luke was feeling unusually playful.

"Oh really? I didn't think you'd be too excited about me grabbing anybody's attention."

"Hmm, good point. Maybe you should stick with flannel." Lorelai picked up the blue flannel shirt he had dropped on the bed and started to head into the bathroom.

"What are you doing with that?"

"I'm wearing it. What do you think I'm doing with it?"

"It's _my_ shirt."

"Yes, but I'm your girlfriend. I'm allowed to wear any of your clothes I want."

"When did we decide on this?"

"It's one of the rules of dating. Don't you know that?"

"Fine. Wear it. I don't care."

"I thought you would say that."

Lorelai woke Luke up shortly after 6:00 the following morning. He groggily opened his eyes and glanced at his watch which was on the coffee table beside him. "Lorelai, it's too early. Go back to sleep."

"Oh, come on, Grumpybutt. You get up earlier than this some days."

"Only when I have to because I have early deliveries. But I don't have to get up today, so I want to go back to sleep."

"But Lu-uke, it's Christmas!"

"So? It will still be Christmas in a couple hours."

"Presents, Luke!" Sometimes, Lorelai sounded like a pestilent two-year-old, but Luke did not really mind. Her youthfulness was one of the things that attracted him to her.

"Okay, okay. I'm up." As he sat up, Rory began to cry.

"I guess somebody else is up, too," Lorelai remarked as she walked over to Rory's crib. The infant stopped crying as her mother fed her. Luke, who had gone to the bathroom, walked out and saw the two. He turned his head away and walked to the small kitchen. "It's going to be hard to cook breakfast since you have no stove," he remarked.

"Don't worry about cooking. If we wait until about 10:00 when breakfast is over at the inn, we can go get something there."

"So that's what you eat on those mornings you don't come to the diner."

"That or Poptarts. Okay, you can turn around now. Rory's done."

Luke turned to face her. "So, what do we do until 10:00?"

"Presents, duh."

"My mistake. How could I forget?" He joined her next to the small tree where she had insisted they place their presents. "So, you want to open one first."

"Okay!" Lorelai picked up the first package and noticed immediately how heavy it was. She looked at the tag and saw that Luke had written: "From Luke and Rory." Lorelai smiled as she tore off the paper. "A cardboard box! Just what I always wanted!"

"That's going to make Christmas shopping a lot easier."

"What can I say, I'm easy to please."

"Dirty!" Luke teased.

"I think I'm starting to rub off on you, Luke."

"Hopefully not too much. I don't think I can eat as much as you do without growing as big as a whale."

"You just need some practice." Lorelai smiled as she looked at him. He seemed so comfortable with her and Rory; she enjoyed seeing him so relaxed. He was laughing and joking, two things he never did while playing the part of the grumpy diner owner. He sat on the floor with his back against the sofa and his legs stretched out in front of him, tickling Rory who lay in his arms.

"Are you opening the box or are you just going to use it for decoration?" Luke questioned.

"I guess I'll open it." Lorelai ripped off the packing tape and opened the flaps of the box. She squealed in delight when she saw what was inside.

"It was my dad's," Luke explained as Lorelai pulled out the camera. "I found it when I was packing up some of his stuff, and I thought you'd like it so you could document Rory's early life." Rory shifted in his arms as if hearing her name. He smiled down at her, and Lorelai quietly picked up the camera. The flash caused him to look up. "Hey!"

"You got it so I could document her early life. So that's what I'm doing."

"Your mother's crazy," he whispered to Rory. Lorelai threw the wrapping paper at him.

"Open your present from Rory," she instructed.

"Yes, ma'am." He set Rory down in his lap and reached for the thin rectangular package. Carefully, he peeled the wrapping paper off to reveal a picture frame with a picture of Rory on the day she was born and her footprints. He was silent for a minute, staring at the picture frame. Finally, he managed to peak. "Thank you, Lorelai."

"Oh, don't thank me. Thank Rory. I didn't even know what she got you until just now."

Luke rolled his eyes but still said, "Thank you, Rory."

"Okay, Rory, now it's your turn. Open this one from Daddy—I mean, Luke." Luke looked up sharply when he noticed her slip of the tongue. Lorelai blushed slightly, and her eyes met his. He cocked an eyebrow slightly, and she shrugged. "You might as well be."

"I guess." He took the large package from Lorelai's hands and set it in front of Rory before helping her to unwrap it. "These are so your mommy can stop reading you the same three kids' books from the inn," he explained. Rory turned and reached for the stack.

"I think that many books will keep us busy for awhile," Lorelai said. "Thanks."

"It's no big deal. I picked up a bunch of them secondhand."

"It was still sweet." Luke shrugged. "Okay, my turn again." She found a small box addressed to her from Luke. "I wonder what this could be."

"I might surprise you."

"Maybe." Lorelai sounded doubtful. She tore the paper off to reveal a small white box. "You're really getting into this whole box thing."

"You loved the last one I got you."

"But it was so much bigger."

"So size matters to you, huh?" Luke asked. Lorelai marveled at how much more open he had become around her. Two months before, he would not have even thought about making a comment like that.

"I would say it's pretty important." Lorelai laughed and opened the box. Her laughter suddenly stopped as she gasped in surprise. The box contained a necklace strung with small blue beads that shone like gemstones and three larger clear beads. "Luke, it's beautiful!" Lorelai carefully lifted it out of the box and held it up, admiring the way the light reflected off the beads.

"Thanks. My sister made it. She has a knack for jewelry making. She said this would be perfect for you because the blue will bring out your eyes."

"Thank her for me when you get a chance." Luke snorted, but Lorelai ignored him. "Hey, can you fasten this for me?" she asked, turning around.

"Sure." As she lifter her hair, he carefully took the two ends of the necklace and fastened them together. His fingers brushed over the sensitive skin at the base of her neck, and Lorelai shivered slightly. She turned back around to face him with a smile.

"What do you think?"

"You look beautiful," he said honestly.

"Thank you. Now it's your turn."

"Okay." He selected a gift bag and pulled out all the tissue paper before finding his present—a blue baseball cap. Grinning, he switched it with the one he was wearing.

"It looks good," Lorelai commented.

"Thank you."

"Okay, Rory's turn now!" Lorelai passed the baby a present from her which turned out to be a set of building blocks. Rory grabbed one to play with, and Luke set the rest aside as Lorelai reached for her final package.

"You really know the way to a woman's heart," Lorelai remarked as she unwrapped another jewelry box.

"Good to know I'm not a complete idiot."

"A savant perhaps," Lorelai teased as she opened the box. Inside was a charm bracelet with a single charm: a baby with a small stone set in the center. Looking closer, Lorelai realized it was Rory's birthstone. "Luke, I love it!"

"I was hoping you would."

"Wow, there's this whole soft side of you that you need to show more often."

"Don't count on it."

"Luke, you can't hide your true self from the world."

"I'm not."

"Sure you are. You're never this sweet to anyone but me and Rory."

"That's because you and Rory are special. I l-" He paused. Was he really planning on telling her he loved her? Wasn't that moving a bit too fast? "Like you guys a lot," he finished lamely.

Lorelai noticed the pregnant pause. She had a feeling he was about to tell her he loved her. What would she say if he did? Would she say it back? She thought she loved him, but how could she be sure? When she heard him finish his sentence, she breathed a bit easier. She was not entirely sure of her feelings yet, and she did not know if she was ready to make as large of a commitment as love was. On the other hand, she was slightly disappointed, for she wanted to know what his true feelings toward her were. "We like you a lot, too," Lorelai told him. "Now open your last present." She handed him a long, cylindrical package which he studied curiously for a moment before opening. The wrapping paper concealed a poster which he unrolled.

"You were actually listening when I told you the Red Socks were my favorite team?" Luke joked as he looked at the poster. He suddenly noticed pen marks at the bottom of the poster. "Wait, is that. . ." He looked up at Lorelai with wide eyes. "How did you. . . What. . ." Lorelai laughed at his stammering.

"You're going to have to ask a complete question if you want me to answer it."

"Are these real?" Luke asked, pointing at the signatures at the bottom of the page.

"Every one of them."

"But how?"

"Having parents who are snobs does have its advantages. I grew up with some powerful people. A lot of them still like me despite my. . . less than perfect relationship with my parents. Open the envelope." Still dumbfounded, Luke looked at the floor in front of him and saw a white, business-size envelope. Wordlessly, he opened it and pulled out two pieces of thick cardboard.

"These are season passes," he breathed. When he saw the seats, he whistled under his breath. "These are amazing seats, too. They must've cost a fortune."

"I wouldn't know. One of my parents' friends gave them to me because she didn't want them."

"Wow. This is probably the best Christmas gift I've ever gotten."

"I guess I know where we'll be once baseball season starts."

Awhile later, they had cleaned up all the wrapping paper and put all the presents away. Lorelai was wearing both the charm bracelet and her necklace when they went for breakfast, and Mia praised Luke for his good taste. Luke blushed furiously as he tried to ignore the compliments. Once they returned to the shed, Lorelai and Luke began their Christmas movie marathon with _A Christmas Carol_—the Muppets' version, of course.

At 11:00, Luke finally stood up to leave. "I really have to go now since I have to be up bright and early to open up tomorrow," he told Lorelai.

"You can't stay over again?"

"I only had one change of clothes in that bag in my truck."

"You should start packing two."

"I'll consider doing that next time."

"I'm keeping the flannel."

"It's yours." He pulled her into an embrace.

"Bye Luke. See you tomorrow."

"Bye Lorelai."


	10. Chapter 10

On New Year's Eve, Lorelai walked into the diner as the sun was beginning to rise. Luke looked up when the bell above the door rang, and a puzzled look crossed his face. He glanced at the clock. "You're early. It's not even 7:00 yet."

"Yeah, well, Rory woke me up, and I couldn't get back to sleep. I thought I'd com help you with the breakfast rush before my shift." Luke glanced around his empty diner, and Lorelai's eyes followed his. "Okay, maybe I'll entertain you until the breakfast rush comes.

"Oh? And how do you propose t do that?"

"You're thinking of something dirty, aren't you?"

"Prove it."

"Luke Danes, I am shocked at your behavior."

"Really? I thought you would like this kind of behavior." Lorelai stared at his mock serious face for a moment before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"What do you want to do?" she asked once her laughter subsided. Luke thought for a moment before reaching under the counter and pulling out a deck of cards.

"The name of the game's Five Card Draw," he said as he shuffled. Lorelai watched in silence as he dealt out five cards to each of them. Lorelai wrinkled her nose.

"Hmm. . . I want two more. No, three. No, two."

"Lorelai, just make up your mind!"

"Okay, three." Lorelai set three cards down on the counter, and Luke dealt her three new card. "Ugh, no, I don't like these either. Can I get a different three?"

"No. Those are the cards I dealt you."

"Well, can I pick up the cards I got rid of and mix and match? A couple of those might be useful to me.

"Lorelai, that's not how you play the game."

"Well then, they need to change the rules. Now, can I please get three more cards?" Luke sighed and dealt her the cards before picking up his own hand.

Luke walked into the Independence Inn at 2:00 that afternoon carrying a bag of food. Usually, Lorelai would go to the diner for her lunch break, often helping him by waitressing despite his objections. Today, however, she had not shown up. He did not mind having to take care of the lunch rush by himself; it was harder without her help but certainly not impossible. He did miss seeing her face; in fact, he had closed down the diner so he could come eat lunch with her. When she caught sight of him, her eyes widened in surprise. "Luke, what are you doing here?" she asked as she approached him.

"Well, you didn't come by for lunch today, so I thought I'd come see you."

"Luke, you didn't have to."

"I wanted to." Lorelai smiled.

"Hey, wait, if you're here, who's watching the diner?"

"Nobody. I closed it for awhile. The lunch rush is over anyway."

"Luke, you really need to hire someone else so you don't have to shut down the diner every time you want a break."

"I know, and I will. But not until I make sure the diner's not gonna flop."

"It won't flop, Luke."

"You don't know that for sure."

"Of course I do. Have you read your horoscope?" This comment elicited a smile from Luke. "Okay, let me go clock out, and I'll meet you in the shed."

When Lorelai entered the shed, Luke was sitting at the table with a large amount of food spread in front of him. Lorelai dropped into the chair across from him and looked at the food in front of her. "I didn't realize how hungry I was until just now."

"Don't worry. There's plenty."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that."

"Where's Rory?"

"Mia's office. Mia told me she'd take care of her, but I still have this." Lorelai held up a baby monitor.

"Do those things work all the way out here?"

"Sure. It's got a radius of a couple miles or so." A silence fell over the two as they began to eat. Lorelai quickly finished a cheeseburger, a plate of fries, some onio rings, and a turkey sandwich. Luke shook his head.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were hungry."

"I don't kid about food. As much as I hate to leave, I have to go back to work."

"That's okay. I have to get back, too. See you tonight?"

"Of course."

Lorelai walked into the diner as Luke was closing that night. One of the maids had called in sick, so Lorelai had worked a few extra hours. Luke looked up as she came in. "You look tired," he observed.

"I worked a bit longer than usual. No big deal. Need some help?"

"I've got it. You should relax."

"I'm fine. Have you cleaned the grill yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Good. I'll do that." Lorelai walked back to the kitchen and grabbed a scouring pad from the sink. As she began to wipe down the grill, she heard Rory begin to cry. "Luke, could you-"

"I'm already on it." Lorelai smiled when Rory's cries stopped a couple minutes later. She really loved Luke, and Luke seemed to feel the same way about her.

Lorelai and Luke finished closing the diner in just enough time to make it to the fireworks show. Luke carried Rory's carrier in one hand; his other hand was enclosed tightly by Lorelai's own. "Come on! Let's go get good seats!" she told him, leading him out into the town square. She finally stopped at an open space on the ground. All around them, other families lay back on blankets, waiting for the show to begin.

"We didn't bring blankets," Luke grumbled. "I'll go get some."

"No, Luke, you can't go! You'll miss the first part of the show, and that's the best part!" Lorelai held his hand tightly. "We'll just sit on the ground."

"I'm not sitting on the ground!"

"Why not? It'll be just like camping. Laying on the ground under the stars."

"I have a sleeping bag when I camp."

"So? This way's more fun Just sit down." Lorelai sat cross-legged in the grass and pulled Luke down with her. He reluctantly sat beside her, and Lorelai heard a whistle as the first firework rocketed into the sky. "It's starting, Luke! Lay down so you can see better." Still grumbling, Luke lay down beside Lorelai. As the first couple fireworks went off, Lorelai released Luke's hand, and he brought his arm to her shoulders. Lorelai lay her head on his arm and snuggled close, enjoying the warmth of his body. His hand absent-mindedly played with the hair around her ear as he stared up at the display. "Hey Luke?" Lorelai asked after a couple minutes where the only sounds were the loud crashes of fireworks exploding overhead.

"Yeah?"

"This is nice, isn't it?"

Luke looked over at her and then at Rory. "Yeah. I guess it is."

When the fireworks display was over, Lorelai insisted on buying junk food despite Luke's objections. She found a funnel cake booth and soon began eagerly devouring the sugary snack. "You're going to kill yourself," Luke told her.

"At least I'll die happy. Lorelai finished the funnel cake and wiped her hands off. "You wanna come back to my place for a bit? We can watch the ball drop or something."

"Well, that sounds exciting." Luke's voice dripped sarcasm.

"Come on, Luke, it could be interesting."

"I guess. But why don't we just go up to my apartment since we're right here?"

"Sure. I'll race you!" Luke took off running toward the diner.

"Hey! I have Rory!" Luke called after her.

"Too bad!" Lorelai yelled back over her shoulder. Luke shook his head and followed her into the diner. He locked the door behind him and turned off the lights before heading upstairs. When he walked into the small apartment, he saw Lorelai sprawled out across the couch, facing the tv. Shaking his head, he set Rory's carrier down and carefully lifted her out before placing her in her crib. She moved slightly but did not wake up. Luke watched her for a minute, marveling at how peaceful she looked, before joining Lorelai on the couch. He lifted her feet and placed them in his lap as he sat down. She smiled.

"Comfortable?" he asked as he began to massage her feet.

"Mmm, very." She closed her eyes in pleasure, enjoying the sensation his touch always created. Her breathing grew slower and deeper, and she was afraid she would fall asleep before she had a chance to greet the New Year. Quickly, she pulled her feet from his lap and sat up straight, startling him. "I was going to get something to drink. Want something?"

"How nice of you to offer me some of _my _drinks."

"Remember the whole 'I'm you girlfriend, what's mine is yours' discussion."

"Right. My mistake. I'll just have some water."

"Okay." Lorelai filled a glass with tap water before grabbing a Coke from the fridge for herself. She sat back down with the drinks.

"Any reason why we're watching a bunch of people doing nothing?"

"It's Times Square. They're waiting for the ball to drop."

"Why's it muted?"

"Because I hate the female anchor's voice."

"Why don't you switch the channel? Just about every new station's going to be showing that stupid ball."

"The male anchor on this station is hot."

"Why do I even ask?"

"Ooh, it's starting!"

"How can you tell? You can't hear anything!"

"But they zoomed into the ball. That means it's going to start soon. Now hush."

"Hush? There's no sound. What do you expect to hear?"

"Your talking ruins the ambiance."

"Oh, and we can't have that!" The sarcasm was back, but Lorelai ignored it.

"No, we can't. Now, quiet! The countdown's starting." As the numbers lit up at the bottom of the screen, Lorelai began to count out loud. "Twenty. . . nineteen. . . eighteen. . ." Luke rolled his eyes as the countdown continued; he found nothing particularly interesting about a ball slowly moving down a pole. "Three. . . Two. . . One!" Lorelai finished. As the ball hit the bottom, fireworks flashed behind it. The camera cut to the crowd and showed the thousands of people celebrating the new year. A few couples in the crowd were kissing. Lorelai looked over at Luke, and she could see by the intensity of his gaze that he was thinking the same thing she was. She swallowed hard to allow herself to speak. "Happy New Year, Luke." Her lips moved closer to his.

"Happy New Year, Lorelai." He closed the small gap between their lips. He intended the kiss to be short—a simple peck that they could build on later But Lorelai had other ideas. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, preventing him from pulling back. Of course, he did not mind the increased length much. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him as the force of the kiss increased. He had dreamed about kissing her for so long, but he had never believed his dreams could become a reality. Yet he _was _kissing her; not only that, but she was eagerly kissing him back. And it was better than he had ever imagined.

As soon as Lorelai felt Luke's lips on hers, her heart soared. The kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced before. With Chris, she had initiated their first kiss simply because she had wanted to see what it felt like. She was accustomed to jumping right into a relationship, rarely waiting for anything. Those two weeks she had waited for Luke to kiss her were agonizing; she had been tempted to go ahead and kiss him quite a few times. But she had wanted her relationship with Luke to be different than any of the other relationships, so she had sat back and waited for him to make the first move. As she felt his lips on hers, Lorelai thought it was definitely worth the wait.

Luke moved as if he were about to pull back, but Lorelai stopped him by scooting closer. Their hips were now pressing tightly against each other, and the nearness increased the passion coursing through Luke's body. He no longer had any desire to pull away; his only thoughts were focused on the beautiful woman whose lips were locked on his own. He felt something touch his bottom lip, and it took him a moment to realize it was her tongue. He parted his lips, inviting her in, and she began to probe his mouth. His hands moved down her sides to her hips and settled there. As his tongue fought hers, he pulled her on top of him without allowing their lips to part. All thoughts about taking things slow suddenly disappeared, and he briefly considered stripping her clothes off right there.

Before Luke could do anything, Lorelai pulled away quickly and jumped out of his lap. Afraid he had done something wrong, Luke opened his mouth to question her sudden movement, but she grabbed his hand and began to pull him to his feet.

"Come on!" she entreated, tugging his hand.

"Lorelai, what are you doing?"

"I want to show you something. Now, come on!" Sighing loudly, he stood up and followed her to the stairs. He wanted to be back on the couch, holding her close as he enjoyed the sensation of having her lips on his. But Lorelai was Lorelai, and once she decided to do something, it was virtually impossible to dissuade her.

"How about Rory?" Luke questioned in a last ditch effort to convince her to remain where she was so they could continue where they left off.

"She'll be fine for a few minutes." Still mumbling under his breath, Luke followed her down the stairs and out of the diner.

"Lorelai, it's freezing out here. What the hell are we doing?"

"Waiting."

"For what?"

"That." Lorelai pointed upward, and Luke looked and saw a flurry of white slowly floating toward the ground. Lorelai held out her arms as if greeting an old friend. Luke saw the happiness evident on every part of her face; she seemed to be radiating her own light. Her eyes sparkled joyfully as she twirled around in the falling flakes, and Luke could not help but smile herself. Suddenly, the cold did not seem as invasive.

As Lorelai finished her dance, she walked back to Luke's side and leaned against him. Automatically, he put his arm around her shoulders, and she smiled. She had taught him well. "I've always loved the snow," she told him as she snuggled closer. "All the best things happen when it snows. Once, when I was little, I was pretty sick, and all I wanted to do was to get better. Well, one night, it started snowing, and I sat and watched it for hours, thinking it was a present just for me. And the next morning, I started feeling better."

They were silent for a few minutes as both watched the white powder blanket the earth. Eventually, Luke commented, "It's pretty late for the first snow."

"Really? Because I thought the timing was perfect." Lorelai looked up at Luke, conveying the meaning of her words with her eyes. Luke smiled.

"I guess it is." He pulled her close to him and brought his lips to hers for ht second time that night. As his arms dropped to her waist, he thought about Lorelai's earlier comment. She was right. All the best things happened when it snowed.


	11. Chapter 11

Lorelai slept over at Luke's apartment that night since she was too tired to drive home. Ever the gentleman, Luke refused to sleep in the same bed as Lorelai and also refused to allow her to sleep on the couch. He had given her one of his flannel shirts to sleep in, and Lorelai noted with satisfaction that it smelled like him. She loved that smell—a mixture of aftershave, the outdoors, and hamburgers that was distinctly Luke. She inhaled deeply and heard the door click as Luke walked out of the bathroom. His hair was still wet, and small drops of water ran down his cheeks. He wiped them away irritably before attacking the wet hair vigorously with a towel. Lorelai smiled at him as she rose from the bed. After he had finished drying his hair, he hung the towel in the bathroom and started to make his bed on the couch. Lorelai approached him, and he turned to look at her quizzically. "Need something?" he asked.

"Just this." She kissed him soundly. "Night, Luke."

"Goodnight, Lorelai." He felt desire coursing through his body and decided it was a good thing he was sleeping on the couch.

Rory woke both Luke and Lorelai at 5:00 the next morning. Lorelai groaned and rolled off the bed to take care of her, but Luke was quicker. By the time Lorelai had managed to fully open her eyes, he had already lifted Rory out of her crib. "She's probably hungry," Lorelai said.

"Oh. Uh. . . I guess that's your department."

"Actually, I've recently started trying to wean her onto a bottle."

"Oh yeah?" Luke suddenly seemed more comfortable. "I can help with that."

"Don't worry about it. I'll get it."

"No. I want to learn how to do this."

"Okay." Lorelai found the formula in the diaper bag and showed him how much to pour into the bottle. She microwaved the bottle for a few seconds before testing it on her wrist.

"That's it?" Luke asked.

"That's it. Except for actually feeding it to her of course. Here." She handed him the bottled, and he carefully lowered it into Rory's mouth. She began to drink greedily, and a large grin formed on Luke's face. He felt like an idiot; he was acting like those overly excited fathers he had met so many times who were excited when their kid so much as took a breath. But he suddenly understood exactly how they felt; feeding Rory seemed like a simple, mundane task, but it made him feel satisfied and happy. Lorelai watched him for a couple minutes with a stupid grin that could rival his own. "Feels good, doesn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah." He looked u at her. "It's weird. I never really liked kids until I met you and Rory."

"Afraid Isaac might hit your diner next?"

"No, they just always seemed like such a hassle."

"They are, Luke."

"But when I'm with Rory, it feels like the hassle's worth it."

"I know exactly what you mean."

Lorelai walked into the diner at noon that day, just as the lunch rush was beginning to pick up. As usual, she immediately set Rory's carrier down on the end of the counter and donned an apron. Luke had given up arguing with her; instead, he turned to walk back to the kitchen. She stopped him before he walked behind the counter, placing one hand firmly on his chest as she stood on the balls of her feet to kiss him. Although the kiss lasted no longer than a couple seconds, Luke was blushing fiercely. "What was that for?" he hissed.

"That was me greeting my boyfriend."

"Did you have to do it here in front of all these people?"

"Nobody's watching us, Luke." Lorelai turned to the diner, gesturing to prove her point; unfortunately, it appeared that a number of the townspeople were watching the couple intently. Lorelai frowned. "Okay, maybe some people were watching. But who cares? It was just a kiss, and not even a gasping-for-breath, we're-having-sex-fully-clothed type of kiss."

"But I'm not big on having an audience when we kiss."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to get you to it then." She kissed him again, lingering a bit longer this time. She noted that he did not pull back. When she broke the kiss, she smiled. "Now get on the kitchen, Burger Boy!"

"You want anything?"

"I'll eat in a bit. I've got an hour before I have to head back."

"You get a long lunch break."

"What can I say? Mia loves me." Lorelai turned to begin taking orders, and he walked back to the kitchen still shaking his head. Lorelai approached the table to her right first. The man sitting at it had a bowl cut which made his head appear larger than average. He was of average height and pretty thin. His eyes seemed distant and hazy as if he were staring at something no one else could see. When Lorelai reached his table, he was stacking the salt and pepper shakers carefully. Though three years Lorelai's senior, he often acted like he was four years old. "Hey, can I borrow those?" he asked the couple at the table next to him, pointing to their salt and pepper shakers. They stared at him curiously for a moment before nodding. He took the desired items and carefully placed one on his rapidly growing tower. His pink tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth slightly as he concentrated.

"Kirk, you need to put the salt and pepper shakers back before you break them," Lorelai admonished.

"But I don't wanna!" he whined, the spitting image of a pouting child.

"Kirk," Lorelai warned. Sulking, he unstacked the shakers. "Good. Now, what can I get you?"

"Ham and cheese. Swiss."

"The cheese or the ham?" Lorelai joked.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Keep going."

"Okay. I want white bread, and it should be cut in fourths just like Mom does. And also a glass of milk. Half full."

"Quite the optimist."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Your order will be ready in a bit. " Lorelai moved to the next tabled, taking the salt and pepper shakers with her. She apologized to the couple for Kirk's behavior, but they assured her that it did not bother them and ordered. After the couple came the table with Miss Patty and Babette, the resident gossips. Babette looked to be in her late thirties or early forties; Lorelai found it hard to tell exactly how old she was, for Babette was one of those people who could easily be mistaken for someone in her early thirties or late fifties. Her blond hair still showed no streaks of grey, and only a few wrinkles blemished her skin. Her grey eyes, though always probing for information, were also warm and caring, holding the promise of comfort. Though overweight, she seemed not to mind, and since she ignored her weight, everyone else followed her example. "Hey, guys, what can I get you?" Lorelai inquired.

"Well, sugah, you can start by telling us about that kiss we saw earlier," Babette said. Miss Patty nodded expectantly.

"Sorry, ladies, I don't kiss and tell. Now, what can I get you to eat?"

"Cheeseburger for me, sugah," Babette told her.

"And I'll have a tuna fish sandwich." Ms. Patty watched as Lorelai scribbled the order down. "Are you sure you won't tell us anything?"

"Nope. Sorry. I'll have your food in a few minutes." Lorelai walked back to the kitchen to give Luke the orders. As he heard the first one, he sighed.

"Kirk's here again?"

"You should be happy. You have a loyal customer."

"But he's so damn annoying."

"Just stay in the kitchen. Then you won't have to deal with him."

"Why does this town seem to attract lunatics?"

"It must be its charm. Now, get busy. There's people out there who want food." Lorelai left to finish taking orders.

As Lorelai brought Kirk his food, he asked, "Is Luke still looking for extra help? 'Cause my mom wants me to get a job."

"I think Luke's okay for now."

"Then why are you helping?"

"I have nothing better to do on my lunch break. Besides, it's kinda fun waitressing. It gives me good work experience. Now, eat your food."

"But the squares aren't even!"

"It doesn't really matter."

Luke brought a hamburger and fries out for Lorelai a few minutes before she had to leave. "I'll take it from here," he told her. "Now eat." Lorelai gratefully sank onto the stool next to Rory and began to devour the meal. When Luke returned after a couple minutes, she was halfway finished. "Hungry?" he asked.

"Starved."

"You know, you don't have to keep waitressing for me. I can handle it."

"You don't have to keep helping out with Rory either."

"But I want to."

"Exactly."

"Speaking of Rory, I was thinking I could watch her this afternoon if you want. That way, you're not so distracted at the inn."

"Luke, what about the diner?"

"What about it? Lunch rush is almost over and dinner rush doesn't start until after 6:00, and you'll be back by then. I can easily take care of Rory and the diner. Just go and relax."

"Okay. Diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, everything's in here," Lorelai told him, setting the diaper bag on the counter. "Call the inn if you need anything."

"Will do."

"Okay. Bye, sweets." She kissed Rory's forehead gently. "Bye, Luke." She kissed him on the lips. "Thanks for doing this."

"Not a problem."

Lorelai made it to the diner shortly after 6:00. She saw Rory's carrier and noticed with concern that Rory was not in it. As Lorelai began to panic, Luke entered the diner from the stairs to his apartment, cuddling Rory. He noticed Lorelai and walked over to her. This time, he was the one who leaned in and kissed her. Lorelai raised her eyebrows as he pulled back. "I thought you weren't a big fan of public displays of affection."

He shrugged. "If you can't beat 'em. . ."

"So, how was our girl?"

Luke's heart skipped a beat when he heard her use the word 'our,' but he recovered. "She's actually very god. She slept most of the time. I just changed her."

"That's good." Lorelai took Rory from him and tickled her stomach.

"I was thinking we could make this a regular thing. If you want, of course."

"Rory can be quite a handful at times."

"I don't mind. I like having her around. The customers do, too."

"So this is all in good business sense?"

"Of course." As Luke said this, Lorelai hooked her free arm around his neck and pulled his lips to hers in a passionate kiss, forgetting where they were. Luke pressed closer and began to run his fingers through her soft, wavy sense of adventure. As things began to become more heated, Luke suddenly recalled where they were and pulled back quickly, glancing around in embarrassment. "Lorelai, there are people."

"What happened to 'If you can't beat 'em'?"

"That was back when the kisses weren't. . . well, like that."

"What was wrong with that?"

"Nothing. It's just that we're in public."

"Then let's go somewhere private," she suggested flirtatiously.

"Lorelai, I have the diner, and the dinner rush is about to start, and-" He stopped when he saw the wide grin on her face. "And you're kidding, aren't you?"

"But I still had you considering for a second."

"More than a second."

On Friday night, Lorelai left Rory with Mia so that she and Luke could have their first unchaperoned date. He picked her up at the inn carrying a single red rose. She smiled when she saw it. "You look amazing," he told her as his eyes traced her figure which was perfectly accented by the light pink dress she wore. He immediately noticed that she wore the necklace and charm bracelet.

"You don't look so bad yourself." He wore slacks and a button-down shirt with a tie. Lorelai noticed how muscular his torso appeared under the shirt. "No baseball cap either. I'm impressed."

"It didn't match the tie. You ready to go?"

"Sure. Just let me grab my purse."

"Don't worry about it. I'm paying."

"There's more things in my purse than money, Luke."

Luke drove them to a small restaurant a few minutes out of Stars Hollow. As soon as they walked in the door, Lorelai marveled at how at home she felt. The only light was provided by a few small ceiling lamps which cast a soft glow over the restaurant and the and the small lamps on each table. The decorations were subtle; the owners seemed to have made a conscious effort to avoid anything flashy. A few black and white paintings hung on the peach-colored walls along with watercolor pictures of various nature scenes. The cozy atmosphere immediately reminded Lorelai of the inn, and she smiled. "Like it?" Luke questioned.

"I love it," Lorelai answered honestly.

"Good." Luke approached the hostess who greeted him with a warm smile.

"Luke, it's good to see you again. The table you requested is ready."

"Thanks Jane." Luke and Lorelai followed Jane to a table set for two in the back of the restaurant. Although there were two chairs on one side, Lorelai opted to slide into the booth next to him. She noticed how comfortable it was; since it was made of cloth, it was not cold and slippery against her bare legs.

"She knows you," Lorelai observed once the hostess left.

"Well, I'm sort of a regular here."

"So Luke has a Luke's."

"That's an odd way of putting it, but yeah, I guess I do."

"Sniffy's," Lorelai remarked, reading the front of the menu. "Is that a person?"

"A dog," Luke corrected.

"Well, you never know. I have a cousin named Bunny."

"Poor girl."

"See was a child of the sixties. That was a normal name then."

"You're a child of the sixties."

"Barely. Besides, I was named after my father's mother. The current reigning Lorelai."

"So you're a second?"

"Yep. And Rory's a third. What about you? Any other Lucas's in the family?"

"My father's father. He died before I was born."

"Well, I'm sure he's glad to see that his namesake has become a wonderful man." Luke blushed as Lorelai complimented him. Lorelai enjoyed watching him blush; his handsome face seemed much more attractive when colored red. A voice unfamiliar to Lorelai broke the silence which had fallen between them.

"Lucas, it's about time! Buddy and I have been waiting all week for you to com in." Lorelai looked up to see an older woman with kind blue eyes pull Luke into a tight hug. He gave her a quick squeeze before shaking the hand of the man who stood behind her. Although the man was likely over fifty, Lorelai thought he looked as strong as someone half his age. When Luke took his hand away, both Buddy and Maisy turned to Lorelai. "Lucas, you must introduce us to your friend," the woman said.

"This is my girlfriend, Lorelai," Luke introduced, helping her to her feet. "Lorelai, this is Buddy and Maisy. They. . . were friends of my father's."

"Nice to meet you." Lorelai politely shook their hands, attempting to ignore their beaming smiles. She saw Luke shifting uncomfortably out of the corner of her eye.

"You know, Lorelai, you must be very special. Luke usually doesn't bring his dates here. Even that girl he was so serious with in high school What was her name again, Lucas?" Maisy inquired.

"Uhh. . . Anna, Luke said, mortified.

"Right. Well, your drinks will be out shortly and your food soon after that. It was nice meeting you, Lorelai." With a wave, Maisy and Buddy headed back for the kitchen. Lorelai and Luke sat down again. Noticing her menu, Luorelai suddenly realized something.

"Luke, we never ordered!"

"Don't worry about it. Buddy and Maisy will bring us what they think we'll like best whether we order or not. It's one of their quirks. Trust me, though, they'll bring just what you want."

"Okay." Lorelai took a sip of the soda the waitress placed in front of her.

"So, what did you think of Buddy and Maisy?"

"They seemed very nice. I like them."

"That's good."

"Oh. And why's that, _Lucas_."

Luke's ears went crimson. "Please don't call me that."

"Call you what, Lucas?"

"Lorelai. . ." Luke warned.

"How about Lukey then? Or-" Luke stopped Lorelai by planting his mouth firmly on hers. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He allowed his tongue to explore her mouth for a few seconds before pulling back. "for a guy who's not big on PDA, you're pretty good at it," Lorelai remarked.

"I was just trying to get you to shut up."

"Maybe I should talk incessantly more often."

"You already do."

"Maybe you should shut me up more often then."

"Maybe I should." Their food arrived, a piece of salmon and some asparagus for Luke and pork chops and mashed potatoes for Lorelai. Lorelai immediately tucked into the food, greatly enjoying it.

"You're right," she commented between bites. "Buddy and Maisy know exactly what I wanted. Which is weird considering that even I didn't know what I wanted until just now."

"They're good at reading people."

"I wonder what they think about me."

"Probably that you're smart. . . and funny. . . and beautiful." With each word, Luke had brought his face closer to Lorelai's until their lips were barely an inch apart. "And the most amazing girl they've ever met."

"Is that what they'd think or is that just your hormones talking?" Lorelai joked.

"Both." Luke closed the gap between them. Her mouth opened for his tongue automatically, and he greedily inserted it into her mouth. Her hands played with his hair, enjoying the fact that it was not covered by a baseball cap. Suddenly, they heard a cough, and Lorelai's teeth abruptly closed in surprise. Unfortunately, Luke had not yet had the opportunity to withdraw his tongue from her mouth. "Dammit," he muttered when he tasted blood. He suddenly realized why he disliked PDA.

"Sorry," she apologized before looking to see Maisy standing across the table from them.

"Enjoying your meal, I see," she said, her eyes twinkling.

"Yeah." Luke's face had turned beet red. Maisy had been like a surrogate mother to him, and he reacted like any teenager who had been caught making out by his parents. "We were just finishing up."

"Uh-huh. Well, carry on. You know where to find me if you need anything."

"Yeah. Thanks." Luke still had not recovered from his embarrassment.

"That was awkward," Lorelai remarked as she left.

"Tell me about it," Luke muttered. He slowly began to eat again, watching as Lorelai finished her meal. Her mouth moved a mile a minute, recounting a story of a crazy guest at the inn. Although he heard every word she said, his brain did not quite process her story. He was too focused on her perfectly shaped lips which seemed to always be curved upwards in a smile. That was one thing he loved most about her—her optimism. No matter how bad the day seemed, she always seemed to find something good in it, and she would latch onto that single bright spot. Luke found it hard to be gloomy when she was around. "Hey Lorelai," he said when she had finished her story.

"Yeah Luke?"

Luke swallowed hard. He had always hated expressing his feelings. But with Lorelai, he wanted to let her know exactly how he felt about her and their relationship. He did not want her doubting his affection. "I just wanted you to know that what we're doing here, with this relationship and everything, well. . . I'm al in." He looked at her hopefully, wondering what her reaction would be. Taking him by surprise, she kissed him soundly on the lips.

"I'm all in, too, Luke."


	12. Chapter 12

Lorelai went back to Luke's apartment with him after dinner to watch a movie. Although it took some begging on Lorelai's part, Luke finally consented to watch _The Graduate_ with her. As the movie started, Lorelai settled comfortably into the crook of his arm, and he absent-mindedly stroked her hair. Lorelai could tell that most of his attention was not focused on the movie. "Hey, Luke," she said.

"Hmm?" Luke was enjoying the sweet, fruity smell of her shampoo.

"We can always watch _The Graduate _some other time."

He looked down at her with an expression she couldn't quite figure out. "I'd like that," he finally agreed before pulling her to him for a kiss. It was her turn to probe his mouth with her tongue, and Luke eagerly granted her access. She accidentally touched the still sore spot on his tongue with hers, and he flinched slightly. Lorelai quickly moved her tongue elsewhere and took great pain to avoid that spot. Her fingers slid slowly over the sensitive skin of his neck, and e tightened his grip on her. Enjoying the response she was receiving, Lorelai moved her fingers gently over the back of his neck again. He twitched involuntarily.

"Is Lukey ticklish?" she asked playfully, taking her lips away from his for a moment.

"Don't even think about it," he told her, taking her lips away from his for a moment. She giggled as he kissed her again with more force this time. Her fingers grazed over the skin of his neck, and he groaned. Lorelai pressed her body close to his, pushing his back against the arm rest so that he was half-sitting, half-laying with his legs straight out in front of him. She straddled him, placing one knee on either side of his thighs as she continued to kiss him. Carefully, she took his bottom lip between her teeth, nibbling gently, before moving to kiss his jawbone up to his earlobe. She teased him, taking the smooth cartilage between her teeth and tugging gently. He rewarded her with a moan of pleasure. After his ear, Lorelai's lips moved downward, enjoying the feel of his smooth skin. Choosing a spot, she began to work on his neck with her teeth and tongue, pressing her body closer to his. She noticed that he had not moved his hands from their safe place on her lower back, so she tried to give him a hint by sliding her hands beneath his butt. Unfortunately, he did not catch on.

"Lorelai," he began, gasping as her tongue hit a sensitive spot. She immediately began to work on that spot, and he was unable to speak for a minute. Eventually, he managed to say, "Lorelai, shouldn't you be getting back to Rory?" She paused and looked up at him before crushing her lips to his. All thoughts of Rory flew out of his head as he moved his hands around to her hips and pushed her off of him onto her back. Now, he was the one straddling her as he trailed kisses down her neck. His hands found the hem of her shirt and played with it for a moment before touching the skin underneath. The skin of her abdomen was soft to the touch, and he relished how perfect her warm body felt. He felt her tense briefly before relaxing, and she moved her own hands under his shirt. She traced the lines his muscles for a couple minutes, memorizing the contours of his body. Suddenly, her fingers stopped, and Luke looked at her in concern.

"Maybe I should get back to Rory," she said, but he had already planted his lips on hers. Lorelai greatly enjoyed his sudden change of mind and slowly traced circles on his chest. His hands continued their agonizingly slow journey up her body, stopping to discover every part of her. Lorelai felt a jolt of electricity run through her when his fingers finally found the lacy button of her bra. He removed his lips from her skin and looked at her, his eyes silently asking permission. Almost imperceptibly, she nodded. His lips returned to her neck, and his hands slowly pushed the bra up, out of his way. Lorelai moaned with pleasure as she felt him gently caressing her breasts. Nobody had ever been that gentle with her before. With Chris, everything was rough, done mostly for the pleasure of defying their parents. Chris's touch did not arouse dormant emotions in Lorelai and send chills down her spine. Sure, Lorelai enjoyed the experience of being with Chris; she enjoyed believing she was an adult in an adult relationship—but she did not enjoy being with Chris because she had any sort of deep affection for him. With Luke, however, Lorelai enjoyed his touch simply because it was _his_ touch. She cared for him deeply and had feelings for him unlike anything she had felt for any other guy. Was it love? It was too early to tell, but Lorelai knew that it was as close as she had ever been to it.

When Lorelai began to unbutton his shirt, Luke pulled away from her quite suddenly. "What's wrong?" she asked, sitting up to kiss him again. He turned away from her lips, knowing that as hard as it was to resist, he had to be the strong one.

"Lorelai, we can't! We've only been dating three weeks, and you've got Rory, and neither of us is ready to take that big of a step yet."

As much as she hated it, Lorelai knew he was right. She admired him for having such self-control, wishing she could say the same for herself. She had bee ready to sleep with them. If he had not stopped her, she would have, too. But he had been a gentleman, just like he always was, and Lorelai felt her affection for him grow because of his reluctance. Few guys would pass up the chance to have sex. "Okay, I guess I should get going then."

"Yeah." Luke felt his heart still beating fast, and he tried valiantly not to succumb to his desire. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Of course." Lorelai gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, knowing that anything more than that could lead them right back to where they started. As she pulled away, she whispered, "I'm crazy about you."

"I'm crazy about you, too," he responded. Okay, it was not love, but it was certainly a step in the right direction.

Lorelai and Luke had settled on having another date the following Saturday—with Rory this time since Mia was leaving town (and both hoped her presence would prevent them from doing anything they would later regret). Around 6:30, Luke was busy taking orders from the dinner crowd when the phone rang. Carrying a stack of plates on one arm, he picked up the phone with his free hand and used his shoulder to hold it up to his ear. "Luke's," he said.

"Hey, Luke, it's me."

"Lorelai? What's up?"

"Well, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel our date tonight."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Rory's got a cough, and I don't really want to take her out in the cold."

"I'll be right over."

"No, Luke, you've got the diner and-" Luke hung up before Lorelai could finish.

"Okay, everybody out! Your dinner's on the house!" Luke called out. The customers stared at him, believing he was joking. "Did you not hear me? Out!" There was a scramble of movement as people began to leave. Taylor approached Luke, obviously intent on lecturing him.

"That was very rude of you, Luke. I expect you to-"

"I said out, Taylor!" Luke's eyes shot daggers at the town busybody.

"Fine," Taylor huffed. "But I will be bringing your horrid customer service up at the next town meeting."

"I don't give a damn what you do, Taylor. Just get out of my diner!" With one last scathing look at Luke, Taylor turned and left. After flipping off the lights, Luke locked the door and quickly made his way to his truck.

He heard Rory's wails before he reached the storage shed. He jogged the last few feet to the door and knocked loudly. Lorelai threw the door open, and relief washed over her face when she saw him standing there. "Oh, thank God you're here. I took Rory's temperature a couple minutes after I called you, and it was over 100, so I called the doctor, and a nurse told me to give her a Children's Tylenol, but I don't have any, and I couldn't go get some because I didn't want to take her out in the cold and-" Luke squeezed her shoulders gently.

"Slow down and breathe, Lorelai. I'll go pick up some Tylenol from Doose's, and you can stay there with Rory, okay?"

"Luke, you're a lifesaver." Lorelai hugged him tightly with one arm.

"It'll be back soon. Need anything else?"

"Just the Tylenol's fine."

Twenty minutes later, Luke returned with a bottle of Children's Tylenol. Rory was still screaming despite Lorelai's best efforts to soothe her. Lorelai hated to see her daughter sick because she herself felt so helpless. She had no idea what to do when Rory was running a fever. She had not even thought to keep Children's Tylenol in the house. Emily's voice rang through Lorelai's head, chastising her for her poor planning. "Honestly, Lorelai, how do you expect to raise a child when you can't even take care of her when she's sick?" Emily would ask. Not that Emily ever took care of Lorelai when she was sick. That type of menial labor was below Emily Gilmore. There were maids for that. "What now?" Luke asked, holding up the Tylenol.

"Could you just hold Rory for a minute so I can go get her a bottle and crush a Tylenol in it?" Lorelai asked.

"Sure." Luke took the baby from Lorelai's arms and rocked her gently. For once, Rory did not stop crying in his arms. Luke brought her to his shoulder and rubbed her back soothingly, attempting to calm her. He immediately noticed how warm she as; she felt like a small furnace. "Shh, sweetheart, it'll be okay. Mommy's getting something to make it all better," he cooed softly. Rory's cries simply became more insistent.

"Here, let me try." Luke took the baby and the bottle and attempted to persuade Rory to drink. Unfortunately, she still refused. "Maybe we should check her temperature again," Luke suggested, placing a hand on her forehead. "She seems to be getting warmer by the second," Lorelai handed him an ear thermometer from the nightstand, and he carefully inserted it in Rory's ear, an act which only caused her to scream louder. After about a minute, the thermometer beeped, and both Luke and Lorelai looked down at the digital display.

"102.7?" Lorelai questioned incredulously. "That's more than two points higher than it was a few minutes ago."

"Maybe we should take her to the emergency room."

"I think that's a good idea." Lorelai quickly grabbed the car seat while Luke packed the diaper bag. In no time at all, they had loaded the car and were on the way to the hospital. Lorelai sat in the back with Rory to try and clam her while Luke drove. Luke did not drive as fast as he wanted to, for he knew the roads were icy still, but his speed still stayed well above normal. With an odd feeling of déjà vu, he pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, grabbed the diaper bag from the back, and headed immediately to the emergency room with Lorelai close on his heels. Rory was still screaming, and Luke marveled that her little lungs had not given out yet. The nurse at the station was different than the one Luke and Lorelai had talked to before; she had long blond hair pulled into a low ponytail and critical brown eyes which watched Luke and Lorelai approach. "My daughter's running a high fever," Lorelai explained quickly. "We tried to give her Tylenol like her doctor said, but she refuses to take her bottled, and her temperature keeps climbing. We didn't know what else to do, so we brought her here." The nurse's gaze suddenly looked less critical.

"I'll go find a doctor." As she left, Lorelai turned to Luke.

"Thanks for doing this again. I know how much you hate hospitals."

"Sometimes they're a necessary evil." He put his hand on her back comfortingly, knowing she was worried and frightened. He wished he could do something else for her, but he felt just as helpless as she did.

Lorelai was glad for the warmth of Luke's hand on her back. It was easier to deal with the situation when she knew she did not have to deal with everything alone. Luke was there, supporting her, a shelter in the midst of a raging storm. Somehow, Lorelai knew that he would always be there to comfort her when she needed him the most. Through thick and thin, Luke would still be by her side. And because of him, Lorelai knew everything would be all right.

A doctor approached them a couple minutes later. She seemed worn out, but her eyes were still alert as she looked at Rory. "You say she had a fever?"

"Yes. 102.7 last I checked, but it's probably higher by now," Lorelai explained, shifting Rory to the opposite shoulder.

"Okay, why don't you follow me so we can see if we can find the problem?" The doctor beckoned for Lorelai and Luke to follow her into a small exam room. She placed a piece of thin tissue paper over the exam table, and Lorelai lay Rory on top of it. Once out of her mother's arms, Rory began to scream even louder. Biting her lip nervously, Lorelai watched as the doctor examined Rory. She first took the baby's temperature and made a note on the chart she was carrying. "How old is she?" the doctor asked.

"Three and a half months," Lorelai answered promptly, leading to another note in the chart.

"Any health problems before?"

"None."

"Any allergies that you know of?" As she asked the routine questions, the doctor continued to examine Rory, checking her eyes and ears.

"No."

"Have you given her any medication recently?"

"I tried to give her Tylenol earlier, but she wouldn't take her bottle."

"Okay." The doctor finished her exam and turned to Lorelai and Luke. Lorelai gripped Luke's hand tightly, needing to know that he was there with her. "I believe your daughter has an ear infection. They're actually quite common at her age because young babies do not yet have a fully developed immune system. In your daughter's case, however, her body is fighting much harder than normal which is why her temperature shot up so much. I want to keep her overnight and try to get her temperature back down before it gets dangerous."

Luke could tell by the tight grip Lorelai had on his hand that she would not be able to speak, so he spoke for her. "Okay, what can we do?"

"Go wait in the waiting room for a little bit. I'm going to find a room for your daughter and start trying to bring the fever down. I'll call you when you can come see her."

"Can't we go with her?"

"I'm sorry, but you can't right now. I'll let you know as soon as she starts improving. Don't worry. She'll be fine."

"Thank you, Doctor.." Luke began to steer Lorelai out. Once they were in the waiting room, Lorelai suddenly began to sob uncontrollably. Luke pulled her close to comfort her, knowing he had to be strong for both of them.

"It's okay," he soothed. "You heard the doctor. She'll be fine."

"But what if she's not? What if I've failed my daughter before she's even six months old?"

"Lorelai, you couldn't keep her from getting an ear infection. None of this is your fault. There's nothing you could have done."

"I could've had Tylenol in the house. I could have taken her to the hospital earlier."

"But neither of those things would change the fact that she has an ear infection. Rory will recover. She'll be okay. Before you know it, this'll all be over."

"My mother would have a field day with this one."

"There's nothing your mother could complain about. You did nothing wrong."

Lorelai chuckled softly. "You're cute when you're naïve." Although the flow of tears had come to a close, she kept her head buried in his shoulder, enjoying the warm body and wonderful scent. "God, what did I do to deserve you?"

"I should be asking you that question." Luke stroked her dark curls with one hand. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Lorelai."

"Since when are you so sappy?"

"Well, it all started with a hitchhiker I picked up one night."

"You know, you really shouldn't get in the habit of picking up strange people on the side of the road. What if one of them turns out to be a mad ax murderer?"

"I can probably take him."

Lorelai laughed and lifted her head from his shoulder to look into his face. "I'm glad you're not scared of mad ax murderers," she told him. He smiled.

Sometime later, they still had not heard any news regarding Rory. Lorelai had finally fallen asleep in one of the uncomfortable, barely padded chairs. Her head rested on Luke's shoulder, and his arm held her tight to his body. His hand still stroked her hair as he stared at the grainy television across the room. He was not actually watching the late-night show which flickered across the screen; his eyes were glazed and unfocused. He was worried about Rory; despite the doctor's assurance, Luke wondered why they had not yet heard news on her condition. In Luke's experience, no news was often acquainted with bad news. He could not help but wonder if the doctor had underestimated the seriousness of Rory's affliction. Perhaps she was lying on the brink of death as the doctor made a last-ditch effort to save her.

The doctor in question interrupted Luke before his imagination could create too many horrid scenarios. "Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore?" she inquired.

"Yes?" Luke was too worried and too tired to correct her. He gently shook Lorelai and withdrew his arm from her shoulders. She stirred slightly before groaning loudly as she opened her eyes. It took her only a moment to remember where she was and the circumstances surrounding her arrival there. Immediately, she was wide awake and began to pepper Luke with questions.

"Where's Rory? How is she? Is she gonna be okay?"

"Maybe you should ask Dr. Lonial those questions. I'm sure she can answer them better than I can."

"Rory is doing fine," Dr. Lonial explained. "She didn't respond to treatment at first, so it took us longer than expected to bring her temperature down. "But she's ou of the danger zone now. I want to keep her overnight just as a precaution though. You can come see her now if you want."

"We'd like that," Lorelai said as she and Luke stood up. She took Luke's hand in her own as they followed Dr. Lonial. "Hey, Luke," Lorelai said, squeezing his hand to get his attention. "Thanks for being here."

Luke and Lorelai spent the night at the hospital, so they were there to bring Rory home first thing the next morning. Rory slept for most of the car ride home, a pleasant change from the screaming the previous night. Lorelai had dark circles under her eyes, but she seemed much happier since Rory's condition had improved. Luke parked the car beside the shed an helped carry everything into the house. After Lorelai had settled Rory in her crib, Luke said, "I probably should get going. I need to open the diner before I lose all my customers."

"I need to get to work, too. I'll see you at lunch if I get a chance."

"I look forward to it." Luke kissed her goodbye and left. As the door closed behind him, Lorelai glanced over at her daughter. She slept soundly, seemingly peaceful and content. A few hours before, Lorelai was afraid Rory would never come home to sleep in her crib again. Suddenly, even small day-to-day occurrences seemed like blessings to Lorelai. Simply watching Rory's chest rise and fall with the baby's steady breathing was riveting, for it reminded Lorelai of all the things she had to be thankful for.

Lorelai called Luke during her lunch break. "Luke's," he answered.

"Hey, it's me. I don't think I'll be able to make it today."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Rory still seems sick, and I don't want to risk this cold."

"I wouldn't want you to."

"You can come over here after you close if you want."

"So I can make you dinner?"

"I can just grab leftovers from the inn for both of us."

"You know, I was only kidding. I don't mind making you dinner."

"No stove, remember?"

"I keep telling you I'll install one."

"And I keep telling you I'll never use it."

"I would."

"Maybe when you start spending the night here more often we'll talk."

Luke glanced around his crowded diner. He did not want anyone to hear his conversation; otherwise, the whole town would know the intimate details of his and Lorelai's relationship within the hour. An intricate network of gossip trails was spread throughout the town; naturally, not one of their trails connected to Luke while most seemed to pass through Babette or Ms. Patty. Deciding he had a couple minutes to spare, Luke ducked into the storage room with the phone wedged between his shoulder and ear. Once safely out of earshot of the nosy town, he said, "Lorelai, we've discussed this, and I thought we decided to take it slow."

"Well, we could sleep together without actually _sleeping together_ if you know what I mean," Lorelai suggested.

"I'm not sure how well that would work out," Luke said truthfully. He doubted he could maintain his already precarious grip on his self-control if he was sleeping in the same bed as Lorelai. When he was around her, his emotions tended to override reason.

"Are you afraid I might take advantage of you while you sleep?" Lorelai teased.

"No." _'The other way around, actually,'_ he thought.

"Then what are you scared of? Do you sleepwalk?"

"Not that I know of."

"Snore? 'Cause I remember you being pretty quiet the last couple times I was around while you slept."

"I'm not in a position to hear myself if I do."

"I still don't know what the problem is."

"I just think. . . it's too soon."

"For what? All we'll be doing is sharing a bed. Nothing more."

"But that's pretty intimate."

"Oh come on, Luke, please. Please, please, please!"

Luke hated when she begged, for he knew he would always give in. He could not resist her. Sighing, he conceded. "Okay, but only when Rory's around."

Lorelai laughed. "Think we need a chaperone?"

"Yes, we do."


	13. Chapter 13

February arrived before Luke had a chance to realize the New Year had begun. Between the diner, Rory, and Lorelai, he was so busy that he rarely had time to simply sit and think. Life was rushing past him in the blink of an eye, and as hard as he pulled on the reins, its pace did not slacken. With Lorelai working long hours at the inn, they had time for only a few dates. Luke hated how little he saw Lorelai and Rory' it seemed as if his life was empty when they were not around.

After their conversation about sleeping over, Luke had only spent the night in the shed twice. He vividly recalled their first post-talk sleepover.

Luke knocked on the door around 8:00 the Sunday night following their talk on sleeping arrangements. As usual, he carried a bag from his diner full of food. For once, Lorelai's eyes did not linger long on the food; they focused instead on what Luke had slung over his shoulder. "The overnight bag?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, well. . ." Luke set the food on the kitchen table. He messed with his baseball cap nervously. "I just thought after our talk last week that you wanted this, but we don't have to if-" Lorelai's lips covered his mid-sentence, and he immediately fell silent.

"I do want this, Luke. It's a step in the right direction for us."

"Well, uhh. . . I brought dinner," he said needlessly.

"That explains why I keep you around," she quipped.

"So I guess we should eat."

"I actually considered leaving food there. It makes a nice centerpiece."

"Might start to smell after a bit." Luke as slowly falling back into the pattern of their comfortable, friendly banter, forgetting his nerves.

"You can replace it when it does."

"If you don't want this, I could always-"

"Hand over the goods, Burger Boy." Luke smiled and began unloading the take out containers from the plastic bag. As he opened the boxes, Lorelai suddenly realized that they did not contain diner food. "What's this?" she asked.

"Pot roast, carrots with honey, and mashed potatoes," he answered as he dished to food onto two plates. "And apple pie for dessert."

"I never knew you could cook gourmet meals."

"I'm a man of many talents."

"Dirty."

"I set myself up for that one, didn't I?" He set a plate of food in front of her, and she stared at it for a moment.

"Luke, there's some gross, foreign orange objects on my plate."

"They're carrots, Lorelai. They're good for you."

"They're evil. They're staring at me and laughing maniacally. Please, Luke, save me from the evil vegetables."

"Eat the carrots or you won't get pie."

"Who are you, my mother?"

"I'm just trying to make sure you eat healthy."

"Yes, mother." Lorelai pushed a carrot around her plate for a few minutes before stabbing it violently with a fork. The fork clattered loudly as it hit the plate, and Luke raised his eyebrows. Lorelai glared at him before returning her attention to the carrot. She stared at it before taking a deep breath and shoving the whole thing in her mouth. Chewing slowly, she turned to Luke. "I guess it's. . . okay," she admitted. He grinned, knowing she liked it.

"Vegetables aren't as bad as you thought, huh?"

"I'd put them somewhere below month-old pizza and above raw sewage."

"So at least they're not at the bottom of your list."

"I must admit, tasting these carrots has moved them up a couple notches. I might even put them with the three-week old pizza now."

"Good to know I've mad at least a small impact."

"Oh, you've made a much larger impact than that, Buddy."

After dinner, they watched a tv movie which turned out to be as exciting as they thought it would be. Before they had watched it for too long, they discovered other ways to distract themselves. While preparing for bed, Luke insisted that Lorelai take the "bathroom" first. She finished her ablutions in a few minutes and emerged from the bathroom wearing one of Luke's flannels. She now had two that she claimed as her own, but Luke did not mind too much. He enjoyed seeing her in his flannel; it seemed to make her body more desirable.

After Luke had also readied himself for bed, he walked toward the couch, but Lorelai grabbed his arm and pulled her to him in a passionate kiss. "Not tonight, buddy," she said against his lips before slowly pulling him backward—toward the bed.

"Lorelai," he growled, his voice gruffer than usual.

"Luke, just relax." Lorelai drug him to the foot of the bed. "Right or left?"

"Left," he answered without thinking.

"Good, 'cause I like right." She crawled up to her appointed side of the bed and turned back to face him. With a seductive smile, she beckoned him closer by curling her index finger. He looked at her for a minute before sighing and climbing onto the left side of the bed. "Good night, Luke."

"Night, Lorelai." He heard a click as she flipped off the light, plunging the room into almost complete darkness. A soft glow in one corner indicated the presence of a small nightlight. Luke smiled as he thought of that nightlight, knowing that it showed that despite Lorelai's tough, I-can-do-anything-by-myself demeanor, she still felt vulnerable. That was one of the things he liked most about being with Lorelai—he had a chance to discover her vulnerable side, a side she showed to no one else. As Luke thought about these things, he felt her weight shift in the bed beside him. He felt a weight suddenly drop onto his chest; it took him a moment to realize that it was one of Lorelai's arms. With two fingers, he stroked it gently, enjoying the feeling of the soft hair on her skin. Lorelai moved closer to him until she was cuddled up next to his side. He still lay on his back with one arm under his head and the other stroking her arm, trying desperately to ignore the fact that her breasts were crushed against his ribcage. He knew that sleeping in the same bed as her was not a good idea, but he had acquiesced to her wishes, just as he always did. As she snuggled closer, he felt his hormones begin to take control of his body, and he bit his lip in a desperate attempt to control himself. He willed himself to think of something else, but his thoughts continued to return to Lorelai. Just as he was afraid he was about to lose control, a loud cry sounded, startling him. When he finally registered it was Rory, he quickly climbed out of the bed and padded over to her crib. Lorelai stirred as he began to fix her bottle.

The first thing Lorelai saw when she opened her eyes was Luke feeding Rory. She smiled at the scene; it seemed like a perfectly natural domestic occurrence—a father feeding his child. Thinking of how much Luke had done for both her and Rory, Lorelai realized he deserved that title. Father. The word seemed to fit Luke. Although most people would think Luke could never earn that title, Lorelai knew he was the best father Rory could have asked for. And for that, she was grateful.

After feeding Rory, Luke changed her and rocked her back to sleep. He crawled back into bed and glanced down at Lorelai. She was pretending to be asleep although she had actually been watching him interact with Rory the whole time. Carefully, he smoothes the hair back from her forehead and kissed her temple. Life seemed perfect.

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, Luke knew he needed to come up with romantic plans for him and Lorelai. Believing Valentine's Day was simply a commercial holiday created by candy and greeting card companies, he had never felt a desire to celebrate the holiday before. But Lorelai had been hinting about Valentine's fast approach, and Luke knew she expected him to do something romantic. For once, he actually _wanted _to celebrate Valentine's Day, for he finally had a reason to do so.

On Valentine's night, Luke arrived at Lorelai's house. As he expected, she had not yet finished getting ready. She met him at the door wearing no shoes or makeup. "hey. If you get the stuff for Rory's diaper bag together, we could speed up this whole process," she told him.

"I'm on it." He found the bag next to Rory's crib and began to throw in diapers, wipes, and bottles. By the time he finished, Lorelai had emerged from the bathroom fully dressed and ready. Luke glanced over at her. "Wow. You look. . . amazing."

"Ditto." Lorelai pulled on her shoes. "Okay, all done. Let's go."

"Is Rory staying with Leslie?"

"Yeah. We just need to drop her off."

Luke drove since Lorelai had no idea where they were going. On the way, Lorelai pestered him with her incessant questions. "Are we there yet?" she aksed.

"No. Just like when you asked five minutes ago."

"But I'm bored. If I had known we were going to be taking a cross-country trip, I would have brought something to do."

"Lorelai. I've only been driving twenty minutes."

"If we had gone to Al's Pancake World, you would only have had to drive for five minutes."

"I'm not eating at Al's."

"Well, you could at least fix the radio."

"I told you. I'll do it when I have time."

"How about I drive while you fix the radio?"

"You don't know where we're going."

"You could tell me."

"It's a surprise. We already went over this."

"Well, it better be a good surprise to make up for all this boredom."

"You'll like it. I promise."

"And if I don't?"

"We'll go to Al's."

"Deal. Are we there yet?" Luke simply rolled his eyes.

In another ten minutes, Luke pulled into a parking lot in front of a nice restaurant. As Lorelai exited the truck, she realized how out of place the green pickup was. Surrounding them was a parking lot full of luxury cars with monthly payments that were likely more than the value of Luke's truck. "Not the kind of place I pictured you going to," Lorelai commented as Luke held the door open for her.

"Well, I guess it's a special occasion." Luke offered her his hand which she gladly took, entwining her fingers in his. They walked to the restaurant in silence; once Lorelai stepped through the heavy wooden doors, she felt as if she were in one of the grand ballrooms for another fancy party her parents had dragged her to. Ornate designs covered the carpet which was thick and soft beneath Lorelai's heels. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling, bathing the restaurant in light. In the center of the restaurant, a raised wooden stage supported a small band which was currently playing a slow ballad Lorelai did not recognize. Around the stage, an area devoid of any tables allowed couples room to dance. Only one couple, both of whom seemed a little tipsy, was currently dancing. Lorelai watched them for a minute; she wondered if she could convince Luke to dance. As if he heard her thoughts, Luke squeezed her hand and said, "Don't even think about it. I don't dance."

"I should've known."

"Do you have a reservation?" the hostess questioned.

"It should be under Danes," Luke told her.

"Ah, right, I have it right here. Follow me, sir." The hostess led them to a small table set for two. Ever the gentleman, Luke pulled out Lorelai's chair for her before seating himself. The hostess handed the couple two menus, and Lorelai perused hers quickly.

"Luke , this seems a bit. . . extravagant. You know Sniffy's would've been fine, right?"

"Don't worry about it, Lorelai. Just order what you want."

"So I guess this means the diner's doing well."

"Very well."

"Well enough to hire some more help?"

"I don't know if I will. You seem to like waitressing so much."

"I can still waitress during the dinner rush. Having someone else will just speed up the process."

"I'll think about it. I'm just not sure I want anyone else in my kitchen."

"You are mighty possessive of your stuff. First your truck, now your kitchen."

"For your information, Buddy, the toilet's still nameless. Though now that I think about it, he must be pretty lonely. I'm sure all the other appliances make fun of him 'cause he has no name. Maybe I should give him one so he won't be picked on. What about Bernie?"

"Should I even ask why?"

"Well, I had a Great Uncle Bernie who used to spend a lot of time on the toilet."

Luke groaned. "I knew asking was a bad idea."

"I could name it Alexander. You know, after Alexander Crapper who invented the toilet. Or maybe Harry Butts. Ooh, or Seymour Butts."

"Okay, new topic please."

"No, seriously, that would be the perfect name for a toilet. Because who sees more butts than a toilet does?" Lorelai giggled childishly.

"What are you getting to eat, Lorelai? I heard the salmon here is very good."

"Eww, fish!" Lorelai exclaimed, the toilet forgotten.

"You liked the trout I cooked for you last week."

"Only because you fried it."

"In peanut oil."

"What? You told me it was animal fat!"

"Well, I'm a compulsive liar."

"Mean." Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him before returning to her menu. Once she had finally made her decision, Lorelai looked up and stared at Luke for a few seconds while his eyes surveyed the other customers. As soon as he looked back at her, Lorelai's gaze dropped to the table. Finally, Lorelai said, "Have we run out of topics already?"

At that moment, the waitress arrived, saving them from another awkward silence. "What can I get you two tonight?" she inquired.

"I'll have the herb-encrusted salmon and water please," Luke told her.

"Of course you will," Luke muttered. He shot her a glance but did not respond. Baiting him further, Lorelai found his foot beneath the table and began tapping it with her own. Luke suddenly became very interested in his napkin.

"And for you, miss?" the waitress asked.

"Oh!" Lorelai had forgotten she was there. "Uhh. . . I'll have the pork loin and a Coke."

"Thank you. Your drinks will be right out." The waitress collected their menues and left. Luke finally allowed himself to look Lorelai in the face.

"Lorelai," he hissed.

"What?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"Would you stop? There are people around."

"I doubt any of them are staring at our feet. But if you prefer, I could do this." Lorelai scooted closer to the table and kicked her shoe off before taking her stocking-clad foot and running it over his calf. Luke swallowed hard. He had never known before that a simple touch could be so arousing.

"Come on, Luke, lighten up." Lorelai managed to push the cuff of his pants higher and ran her foot gently over the newly-exposed skin. Groaning, Luke reached under the table and grabbed her foot. "Fine, I'll stop," Lorelai conceded, noticing how uncomfortable he appeared. She shook her foot out of his grasp. "So. What did we decide our next topic should be?"

"I don't know. You pick."

"Okay, how about we play the Question Game again? I'll start. What's your biggest regret in life?"

Luke groaned. "Letting you pick the topic."

Lorelai hit him playfully. "Seriously, Luke."

"I guess I'd have to say that I regret not spending more time with my mom before she died. I mean, I always took advantage of her, assuming that she would always be there. I never thought I'd lose her so soon. What about you?"

"Hmm. . . Well, I'd have to say I regret going to Grace's party when I was 15."

"I thought we were being serious."

"I am being serious. That's the night I learned to never mix my alcohol."

"I just thought your biggest regret would be. . . something different."

"Like having sex with Chris?" Luke shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I sorta regret that. I certainly regret that it was Chris and not. . . somebody else." Lorelai stopped herself just before she had said you. Quickly, she continued to cover her blunder. "But if I hadn't had sex, I wouldn't have Rory, and we wouldn't be sitting here right now." Lorelai's eyes met his and did not break away until the waitress returned with their drinks. "Your turn," Lorelai said.

"Right." Luke took a sip of water. "Who was your first kiss?"

"Jeffrey Granger. I was twelve. We were at some stupid fancy party that our parents drug us to, and we were bored. Neither one of us had ever kissed anyone before, and we thought it would be fun. It wasn't as good as we thought it would be though. At least, not back then." Lorelai grinned devilishly at Luke whose face grew red. "And you?"

"I was fourteen. A freshman in high school. I had just finished first in a local track meet. There was this girl—Jamie was her name. She came to me and congratulated me for the win. I told her thanks, and I was about to leave when she grabbed my arm and kissed me. I was completely surprised. I mean, I was hot and sweaty since I had just finished running, and I hadn't taken a shower yet. I certainly did not expect to get kissed."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"It was okay. But some subsequent kisses were better."

"I would hope so. Well, I guess it's my turn again. First time you got drunk?"

"I was fifteen, and one of my idiot friends drug me to some stupid party. I didn't realize the punch was spiked until I started puking my guts out."

"I got you beat there, too. I was fourteen. Chris and I were bored at one of my parents' parties, so we found a bottle of liquor and snuck out with it. We managed to finish the entire bottle in under an hour."

"Impressive."

"Yes, well, that's what boring rich-people's parties do to you."

"I'm happy to say I've never had the experience." The waitress brought the food, and they began to eat in silence. Lorelai let her gaze wander over the room until it came to rest on the dance floor. A few more people were dancing, and Lorelai watched them wistfully for a moment. Her mother had forced her into ballroom dance classes before the debutante ball (which she had never attended anyway due to her pregnancy), but Lorelai had never enjoyed them. Of course, she was forced to dance with people she did not know; dancing with Luke would be a whole different experience. Snuggling up to his warm body, feeling his hands at her waist. . . . Lorelai thought she would certainly enjoy _that_ experience.

Luke saw Lorelai's eyes stray to the dance floor and remain rooted there. He knew she wanted to dance, but he was afraid of embarrassing himself if he tried to dance. He had always had two left feet; Liz had teased him mercilessly when they had attended a wedding where some relatives had forced him to dance with her, and he had nearly fallen over into the cake after tripping on his own foot. He did not want Lorelai to see his faults. At the same time, however, he wanted to make her happy. "_'Okay, Danes, suck it up,' _he told himself after they had finished eating. _'This is not time to be chicken.' _"Hey Lorelai?" he asked.

"Hmm?" She turned around to face him.

"You wanna. . . dance?"

"I thought you didn't dance."

"I'm a compulsive liar, remember?"

"In that case, I'd love to." He offered his hand, and Lorelai took it, enjoying the feel of his fingers beneath her own. He led her to the dance floor, still nervous but determined nonetheless. As they reached the dance floor, the song changed to another slow love song. Luke pulled her close, wrapping one arm around her waist and clasping her other hand in his. _'So far, so good,' _he thought as they slowly began to move in time to the music. He felt Lorelai's arms resting on his shoulder, and he relaxed slightly. He had yet to step on her toes.

"When I fall in love, it will be forever," the singer began.

"Or I'll never fall in love

In a restless world like this

Love has ended before it's begun

And too many moonlight kisses

Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun."

Lorelai moved closer to Luke, resting her head on his shoulder. She breathed in his distinctive scent and thought about how much better dancing with Luke was than the ballroom dancing classes. She shivered slightly when the arm around her waist tightened, keeping her close. As she listened to his heart beat, she suddenly forgot about everyone else in the restaurant. Suddenly, Luke and she were the only people on the earth. Nobody else mattered at the moment. For the first time, Lorelai truly felt as if she were in the right place. All her life, she had been rebelling against her parents because she knew she did not fit into their world. But in Luke's arms, she felt safe and comfortable; it was where she belonged.

"When I give my heart, it will be completely

Or I'll never give my heart

And the moment I feel that you feel that way, too

Is when I fall in love with you."

Luke was having a fierce internal debate. He was hoping to finally work up the courage to express his feelings, and he seemed to have been provided with the opportune moment. However, he did not want to risk ruining their relationship if Lorelai did not feel the same way about him as he did about her. Yet his newfound dancing skills had given him added courage, so he decided to take the plunge. "Hey, Lorelai. There's something I've been meaning to tell you," he whispered.

"What is it?"

"I love you." Although the words had little volume, his mouth was so close to her ear that she could hear him perfectly.

Without hesitation, she responded, "I love you, too."


	14. Chapter 14

They danced for a few more songs before Luke paid the bill, and they left. Both were more giddy since their declarations of love; Luke even allowed Lorelai to kiss him before they left the dance floor although he pulled back after a few seconds. The drive home seemed even longer to Lorelai because she was impatient to return to Luke's apartment. She sensed that he shared her impatience, for his speed was higher than normal.

As soon as Luke stopped his truck behind the diner, he unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for the door handle. Before he could grab it, however, Lorelai pulled his lips to hers. He immediately moved his hands to her sides, pulling her as close as he could with the gear shift separating their seats. Their tongues began the familiar duel as Lorelai leaned farther over the center console, trying to be closer to him. As her weight shifted farther, she lost her balance and collapsed on top of him with her lips still locked onto his. He fell back against the door and used his grip o her sides to pull her further over the console so that she as lying across his upper body. He started to move his lips to her neck, but she stopped him by placing her hand under his chin and raising his face to meet hers. "My turn," she informed him before lowering her lips to his neck. She kissed up his neck to his ear, sliding her tongue along it. He groaned and moved his hands to her back. His fingers played with the zipper of her dress, brushing her neck briefly.

When she finished with his ear, Lorelai moved her lips down to his neck. "You're going to give me a hickey," Luke said gruffly.

"At least then everyone'll know you're taken." Lorelai continued to work on his neck as her hands found the top button of his shirt. She undid it and traced the smooth skin underneath as his hands moved to her back. She adjusted her position slightly to reach the next button, but the gear shift ground into her hip. She pulled away with an exclamation of pain. "I think this is getting too heated for the truck," Lorelai panted. Luke nodded. Slowly, Lorelai managed to pull herself out of Luke's lap into the passenger seat and exit the car. They entered through the back door of the diner which led to the kitchen. Luke started to go upstairs, but Lorelai grabbed him and pulled his lips to hers. Although the room was pitch black, she managed to find the second button on her shirt. Finally losing all inhibitions, Luke fumbled for the zipper of her dress for a minute before his fingers touched the cool metal. As he was about to unzip it, they were interrupted by a loud knocking coming from the front of the diner. "Leave it," Lorelai muttered. Luke as about to accede to her request when the knocking came again. Luke sighed and pulled away from her.

"I swear, if it's Kirk, I'm going to kick his ass," he said.

"Just hurry up and do it," Lorelai pleaded.

"I intend to." Luke walked quickly out of the room and opened the front door of the diner without taking a good look at the person standing there. He closed the door behind him and turned to face the interrupter. His jaw dropped when he saw that it was not Kirk. The woman standing in front of him had soft features with deep brown eyes and sleek brown hair. "Anna?" he asked once he regained his voice. "What're you doing here?"

"This." And before Luke could react, she pulled his face to hers and kissed him. Luke immediately noticed that her lips did not feel as soft or as pleasurable as Lorelai's. He remembered how much he enjoyed it when Lorelai had pulled him into a kiss; with Anna, he simply wanted out of the kiss. Unfortunately, he was loath to use excessive force since Anna was a woman, but Anna was stronger than he expected, so he struggled for a few seconds. When he heard the door open, his heart sank.

Lorelai had decided that Luke's confrontation with whoever was knocking was too quiet, so she left the kitchen to investigate. When she first saw the scene outside the diner, she could not believe her eyes. She could not believe that Luke—the guy who had just expressed his love for her—could be kissing another girl. But when Lorelai exited the diner, she saw that her eyes were not deceiving her. Luke's lips were locked with those of another woman. Lorelai could not believe she had let him so far into her life, into Rory's life. She should have known their relationship was too good to be true. He was too perfect for her. From now on, she was not going to rely on anyone but herself so only she could let herself down. It was easier that way.

"How could you?" Lorelai screamed, tears forming in her ees. "I told you I loved you! I trusted you!"

Finally, Luke managed to pull away. "Lorelai, I can explain-"

"I don't want your damn explanations. I just want you to stay away from me." Lorelai started to run away, but Luke caught her arm.

"Lorelai, please!"

"Just let me go, Luke." She shook his hand off and ran to her car, still trying not to let the tears fall.

"Luke, who was-" Anna began, but Luke cut her off.

"Just get the hell away from me, Anna!" he yelled, turning his back on her. He stormed to his truck with her still following. As he climbed in, he turned to her. "I don't want to see you again! Ever!" he said firmly before shutting the door and starting the engine. Sensing he was not in the mood to argue, Anna stepped back and allowed him to pull out into the road. His tires squealed a bit as he accelerated the truck more than it as accustomed to, but he did not notice. He wanted to be a little dangerous. As he sped down Main Street, he watched the needle climb past fifty. He smirked, wondering what Taylor would have to say about Luke speeding down his precious road. Luke compressed the petal a bit more.

Luke had no idea where he was headed. At first, he entertained the idea of going to the inn to find Lorelai and try to explain, but he dismissed this thought. Lorelai would not want to talk to him, and he did not want to dig himself in even deeper than he already was. He could apologize to her once they had both cooled down a bit; instead, he decided to simply drive for awhile. Speeding down the small, deserted roads was therapeutic and allowed him to vent his frustration. He could not believe Anna's nerve, simply showing up at his house and assuming he would take her back. Even if he wanted to (which he did not), he doubted that he could forgive what she did. He had moved on; he was happy with Lorelai. He _loved _her. And Anna had waltzed back into his life and screwed everything up.

His speed climbed higher; he broke sixty in a residential area where the speed limit could not have been more than twenty-five. If only he drove a Delorean, perhaps he could have turned back time and stopped that fatal kiss from occurring. He wanted to return to that dark kitchen and continued making out with Lorelai. He wanted to ignore the knocking on the door. He just wanted another chance.

On a sudden impulse, he made a sharp left and drove to a small apartment complex. He whipped his truck into a space, ignoring the fact that it was crooked and a good six inches over the white line. He yanked the keys out of the ignition and slammed the door shut behind him, not bothering to lock it. His feet automatically carried him to the desired room although his brain was still debating what to do. When he reached the door with the tarnished brass number 207, he knocked loudly. After a minute or so, a male voice questioned, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Rick," Luke called back. He heard the unmistakable sliding of the lock as Rick opened the door. Rich had obviously not shaved in a couple days, for he had a short layer of hair over most of his lower face. His sandy blond hair was tousled, and his hazel eyes stared at Luke curiously. Luke had known Rick since elementary school, and Rick was one of his few close friends.

"What's going on, Luke? I thought you had some big date tonight." Rick looked curiously at Luke. His clothes were slightly wrinkled, and he did not have his suit jacket or tie. On top of that, a hickey was beginning to form on his neck, and the top two buttons of the shirt were undone.

"Had being the operative word here. Anna showed up."

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah. She decided that after she cheated on me, she wanted me back. So, she came to my diner and kissed me. And Lorelai saw."

"Did you explain what had happened to her?"

"I tried, but she never gave me a chance. She just left, so I came here." Luke paused for a moment. "Damn, Rick, I told her I loved her. Tonight was supposed to be special."

"Special? In what way?"

"I don't know. I just thought I'd see what the night led to. And I thought it was going to lead to _that_, but then Anna showed up."

"Tough luck, man. Just when you're finally about to claim your manhood."

"Could you not put it like that?"

"Well, however you put it, I'm guessing Lorelai was okay with the idea by the mark on your neck and the state of your clothes."

"Yeah, I guess so. Dammit! Why did Anna have to show up?"

"You know what you need, my friend? You need to get roaring drunk so you can just forget about your woman troubles."

"Actually, that sounds like a good idea."

Thirty minutes later, Rick and Luke sat at a cheap bar in Hartford. Rick had discovered earlier that they served minors without question, so he took full advantage of his discovery. No one paid much attention to the two teens as they walked in and took two seats at the bar. A few unshaven men played pool at a table in the corner which seemed to be in imminent danger of collapsing. A television set above the bar showed a football game; the picture seemed to have a yellowish tent to it. A smoky haze covered the whole room; Luke wanted to cough but refrained from doing so in an attempt to act natural. He ordered a beer, setting the money on the bar in front of him. Te bartender glanced at the bills and poured the beer without asking for any identification, and Luke relaxed a bit. He took the beer and tried to ignore the stains on the mug as he took a sip. Rick was right. The alcohol helped him to forget everything that had happened that night.

In no time, Luke finished his first beer and ordered a second. The alcohol calmed him considerably; he found that his thoughts did not dwell too much on Lorelai while he was drinking. He stared at the football game on tv, not really watching. He could tell he was already starting to become drunk; his head was spinning, and he felt nauseous. However, he no longer cared how much he drank. He just wanted to drown out all memories of Lorelai. And Rory. With a pang of sorrow, he realized he would never again be as close to the little girl who had brought him so much happiness. In one gulp, he drained the remainder of his beer and ordered another.

When Luke and Rick left the bar two hours later, Luke could not walk or see straight. He did not know exactly how many beers he had; he had lost count after four. He stopped right outside the bar to empty the contents of his stomach. In a way, the act was symbolic, for he was ridding himself of everything from that evening. Once he had finished vomiting, Rick drove them both back to his apartment, and Luke crashed on his couch.

Lorelai drove immediately to her friend Leslie's house. Leslie was a maid Mia had hired two weeks before; she and Lorelai had become fast friends. At nineteen, Leslie was the staff member closest in age to Lorelai, so the two could find plenty to talk about. When Leslie answered the door, she had her blond hair pulled into a loose bun and was wearing a pink t-shirt and bell bottoms. Rory was cradled in her arms. "You're back earlier than I expected," she observed.

"Well. . . the date didn't go like I thought it would."

"He didn't break up with you, did he?"

"Not verbally."

"What?"

"I caught him kissing someone else. I'm pretty sure it's his ex-girlfriend, Anna."

"On Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah, and you haven't even heard the worst of it. Before the whole cheating thing, we went out to this really nice restaurant. He even asked me to dance which I knew was hard for him. And while we were dancing, he told me he loved me."

"Did you say it back?" By this time, Lorelai had followed Leslie into the apartment and was sitting beside her on the couch. She took Rory and began to rock gently.

"Yeah. I said it back. How could I not? I mean, everything was so perfect, and I really did love him. And the funniest thing is that I still do."

"I'm confused. How did he go from telling you he loved you to kissing Anna?"

"I don't know. I mean, we were in the kitchen making out and stuff when someone starts knocking on the door. I told him not to go, but he didn't listen, and I found him kissing Anna."

"Wait. By 'making out and stuff,' do you mean?"

"Yeah. I thought we were both ready."

"Wow. I'm sorry."

"So am I."

Luke was miserable for the next two weeks, and all the townspeople clearly saw it. He snapped at all of the customers in his diner, and the food he prepared was burnt and inedible. Only Kirk was able to stomach the food Luke cooked; in fact, he seemed to enjoy it. As it neared closing time one night, Kirk sat on a stool eating black toast while Luke wiped down the tables. "So, have you and Lorelai officially broken up?" Kirk asked. Luke tensed, and his hand paused mid-wipe.

"Yeah," he finally grunted. Luke still wanted to find some way to win her back, but he could not come up with anything. He knew he should go to the inn to find her and apologize, but he could not work up the courage to do so. He kept seeing the hurt expression on her face when she had walked away form him.

"Good, 'cause I was thinking of asking her out, and-"

"No!" Luke suddenly shouted, turning around to face him with his eyes blazing. He did not want to think about Kirk's hands all over Lorelai, exploring arenas they had no right to touch. Luke still cared deeply for Lorelai—still loved her, in fact. He was not going to let her slip through his fingers into the hands of someone else—especially not if that someone was Kirk.

"But, Luke, you told me you were broken up."

"You still can't go out with her."

"Says who?" Kirk asked defiantly.

"Me. No, either eat or leave."

"Fine." Kirk began to eat his burnt toast, and Luke began wiping the counter. He heard the bell above the door ring and looked up hopefully. Ever since he and Lorelai had broken up, he kept expecting her to walk into the diner and demand an explanation which he would happily provide. If only she gave him the opportunity. Unfortunately, the person walking into the diner was the person who Luke least wanted to see.

"Anna, what the hell are you doing here?" he questioned.

"I came to see you, Luke," she answered.

"I told you I didn't want to see you."

"Luke, we really need to talk."

Luke glanced at Kirk who was still munching happily on the charred toast. "Fine," he conceded. "Let's go outside." He led her outside, not bothering to hold the door open for her. She followed, ignoring his blatantly rude gesture. As soon as they were outside, he began to rant. "Anna, I don't know what gave you the idea that after all you did to me, I would just forget everything and take you back, but the fact is that I won't! I don't care for you anymore! I was in a wonderful relationship which I'm not sure still exists anymore because of you. I've moved on, Anna!"

"Luke, I don't see why we can't go back to the way things were."

"Because I don't love you! I don't think I ever did!"

"But-"

"No buts, Anna. It's over. End of story. Move on."

"You know, Luke Danes, I think one day, you'll regret this."

"I highly doubt it."

Lorelai, too, had found herself wishing Luke was still around. When things got too health, she could always rely on him to proved some comforting words and a shoulder to lean on. After the break-up, however, she felt as if her entire world was collapsing around her. Although Rory was typically a quiet baby, she cried almost constantly, and Lorelai imagined that she was missing Luke. Unfortunately, Lorelai was too stubborn to reconcile with him, so she continued to wallow in her misery.

Around 9:00 one night, Lorelai was eating some of the leftover food in the kitchen. Since she refused to go to Luke's and she had no cooking skills or stove, Lorelai typically ate the leftovers after mealtimes. Mia joined Lorelai in the kitchen, watching as Lorelai quickly finished her supper. "You know, you two will have to talk eventually," Mia commented.

"Who?" Lorelai questioned, feigning innocence.

"Lorelai, you know I'm talking about you and Luke. Look, honey, I've watched you mope around this inn for days, and I've heard how miserable Rory is. Please just talk to him. I'm sure you can work something out."

"I'm not sure about that."

"Lorelai, just give it a try. I know he misses you, and you haven't been doing your best work lately."

"I know, Mia. I'm sorry."

"That's great, but I don't want you to be sorry. I want you to fix it."

"I'll try."

"That's all I ask."

Lorelai tried to keep her promise to Mia. She started to drive to the diner, but she only made it halfway before she chickened out and drove back to the inn. She wanted there to be a good explanation for the kiss, one that did not involve Luke cheating on her. But try as she might, she could not think of any excuse for him to be kissing his ex-girlfriend.

A couple weeks after the break-up, Lorelai was digging through her freezer in search of ice cream. When she was especially stressed, anything with sugar tended to calm her nerves. Unfortunately, she came up empty-handed. By the time she had finished looking, her craving had intensified, so she decided to drive to Doose's to pick some up. She began to pack the diaper bag, tripping over a box as she did so. Lorelai glanced down at the box, and immediately noticed the flannel sleeve creeping over the side. The box contained all the objects Lorelai had found that reminded her of Luke. She had packed away the two flannel shirts she had taken from him, _The Graduate_ that they had watched together, the jewelry that he had bought her for Christmas. She had considered storing the box somewhere more secluded, but something was holding her back, so it remained in the middle of the room where she continued to trip over it.

Lorelai always marveled at how many things Rory needed whenever they went out. The strap of the diaper bag dug painfully into her shoulder under its weight. After packing the bag and picking up Rory, Lorelai locked up and headed for Doose's.

Luke had luckily not seen Anna since he had yelled at her outside his diner. He hoped she stayed far away from him, for he believed that he could only rectify things with Lorelai if she kept her distance. Unfortunately, rectifying things with Lorelai still seemed to be only a possibility far in the future. He sighed and brought his mind back to the present. He needed cheese and lettuce since his supplies of both were dangerously low. Checking his watch, he realized he had another hour before the dinner rush (which was noticeably smaller since his cooking had grown worse). Flipping the sign on the window to "Closed," he headed for Doose's.

Lorelai was standing in front of the freezer attempting to decide on an ice cream flavor. Since Rory had become so moody, it was nearly impossible to shop with her, so Lorelai had left her with Leslie. Shopping was much easier when Lorelai was not attempting to carry a baby, a diaper bag, and her basket, and Lorelai enjoyed her brief freedom. As much as she loved Rory, the baby could sometimes become difficult to deal with.

A carton of coffee-flavored ice cream caught Lorelai's eye, and she placed it in the basket. As she turned around to check out, Lorelai bumped straight into someone. "Sorry," she apologized, looking up. When she saw the blue flannel and backwards baseball cap, she drew her breath sharply. She had wanted to confront Luke all week, but with him standing in front of her, she found herself speechless. She _did_ want him back; she wanted to feel his soft lips on hers and his warm body against her own. But she did not know if she could take him back after what he had done.

Luke looked down at Lorelai after their bodies collided before quickly moving his gaze to his feet. He did not know what to say to her. All of the apology speeches he had been planning suddenly took flight, leaving his brain devoid of all thoughts. But he knew he needed to do something. He could not let her walk away again; it was just too painful. Without thinking, his arm shot out and encircled her waist, pulling her close in a passionate kiss. At first, she seemed surprised, but she soon relaxed and began to eagerly return the kiss. When Luke felt her tongue on his lip, begging for entrance, relief washed over him. He opened his mouth, enjoying the feel of her tongue that he had missed for two weeks. Pressing his body against hers, they both stumbled back into the freezer, and his hands steadied their bodies against the cool glass. Things suddenly began to feel right again, and he was so happy that he did not even care that they were kissing quite passionately in public for the whole town to see. All he could focus on were Lorelai's lips pressed tightly on his own.

Eventually, he pulled away, breathless. "I'm sorry," he told her.

"I'm sorry, too," she responded.


	15. Chapter 15

Lorelai and Luke hurried back to the diner, their purchases forgotten. As Luke led Lorelai up the stairs to his apartment, his lips found hers again. They stumbled up the steps, still locked tightly together. When they entered the apartment, Luke guided her to the couch, and they collapsed onto it. Her lips started to move to his ear, but he pulled away suddenly. "Luke," she whined.

"Lorelai, I need to explain something before we continue."

"Can't it wait?" She started to lean forward, but he stopped her.

"No. Just let me get this out. Look, I never wanted to kiss Anna. She kissed me. I pulled back as soon as I could and told her I didn't want to see her again. I told her that I had moved on and that I was in a wonderful relationship."

Lorelai cut him off with her lips. "I'm sorry I didn't let you explain earlier," she told him. "It would have saved me a lot of misery."

"You aren't the only one who's been miserable."

"Good to know." Lorelai kissed him again. His hands began to roam her body as his lips moved down to her neck. Suddenly, she noticed the time. "Dammit!" she said, pulling away. "I have to go. Leslie's watching Rory for me, and I was supposed to pick her up twenty minutes ago."

"You'll be here for dinner tonight, right?"

"You can count on it."

When Lorelai reached Leslie's house, she was in a considerably better mood than she had been when she dropped Rory off. Leslie noticed immediately. "You seem happy," she observed.

"Do I?" Lorelai asked innocently.

"Okay, Lorelai spill. What happened?"

"Well, I ran into Luke at the store. And by ran into, I'm speaking quite literally. Anyway, it was really awkward at first, but then he just leaned over and kissed me. In the middle of Doose's! And he told me he was sorry, and I said the same thing. Then, we went to his apartment and kissed some more, and he told me that he hadn't wanted to kiss Anna and that she kissed him, and he told her to go away. And he admitted he was miserable without me. So we kissed some more."

"So you guys are back together then?"

"I'd say so."

"It's about time."

The dinner rush began early that day; by the time Lorelai arrived at Luke's, the diner was already packed. She took Rory to the apartment and laid her in the crib before grabbing the baby monitor and carrying it with her downstairs. Automatically, she donned the apron behind the counter, easily falling back into the routine she and Luke had established. It was as if the two week hiatus in their relationship had never occurred. Lorelai glanced quickly around the diner and saw Luke taking orders from two women Lorelai did not recognize; they were likely form out of town. Grinning devilishly, she walked up behind him and pinched one of his butt cheeks. He spun around quickly to find her standing behind him trying to suppress her laughter. "Geez, Lorelai, what the hell was that for?" he questioned.

"I'm just greeting my boyfriend."

"There are people around. Customers."

"Lighten up, Luke. Now, get that sexy butt of yours back into the kitchen. I'll take over her." He sighed and left as Lorelai approached the table to finish taking the women's orders.

Around 8:00, the rush finally slowed, and Lorelai collapsed onto a stool by the counter. "My dogs are barking!" she complained as Luke poured her coffee.

"I've never understood that particular expression," Luke said.

"Maybe it has to do with the fact that my feet feel as if some overzealous dog has decided to use them as a chew toy."

"Interesting theory. What do you want to eat?"

"Double cheeseburger, fries, and onion rings." Lorelai took a sip of the coffee and moaned in ecstasy. "God, I've missed you so much."

"Are you talking to me or the coffee?"

"The coffee, obviously. Although I guess the statement could apply to both."

"Glad to know I'm so loved." As Luke said this, Lorelai suddenly heard Rory's loud cries over the monitor. She groaned loudly, and Luke immediately offered to help. "Want me to take care of her?"

"Would you? That'd be great." Lorelai lay her head on the counter in exhaustion as Luke walked up to his apartment. From all the times he had been around Rory, he knew she was hungry, so he found a bottle in the diaper bag and began to warm it up. He lifted Rory out of her crib and checked her diaper before cuddling her to his chest. He bent over to place a kiss on her forehead, and she grabbed his hat in her tiny fist, pulling it off his head with a smile. He allowed her to play with it as he checked the bottle. Of course, it immediately went into her mouth, but Luke did not care about the slobber that would inevitably cover it; he was just happy to see her happy..

When the bottle finished warming up, he tested it on his wrist before offering it to her. She eagerly exchanged the hat for the bottle and began to drink greedily. In no time at all, she had finished most of the bottle, and her eyelids had started to drop. He lifted her to his shoulder and patted her back gently to soothe her; as he paced the room, she emptied the contents of her stomach onto his shoulder. He wrinkled his nose and looked down at her. "Is that my punishment for not being there for two weeks?" he inquired. She yawned. "Don't worry, Princess. I won't leave you again. I promise."

After Luke changed his shirt, he brought Rory downstairs and passed her to Lorelai. "You changed," she observed, taking the baby in her arms.

"Rory didn't approve of my old shirt. It made her gag."

"You know, there's a towel in the diaper bag so you don't have to worry about having you shirt smelling like baby puke."

"I changed, so it's fine. Now, double cheeseburger, fries, and onion rings, right?"

"And a chicken Caesar salad."

"You want a salad?"

"No, he does." Lorelai pointed to a man at a corner table who wore a blue jogging suit.

"Okay. Your food will be out in a bit."

Luke ate dinner with Lorelai since he had no other customers to serve. "Your birthday's Tuesday, right?" she asked as she finished her cheeseburger.

"Yeah, but it doesn't really matter. I'm not big on celebrating my birthday. I mena, it's not like I'm suddenly a whole year older; I'm just one day older than I was the day before."

"But it's the principal of the matter, Luke. I mean, don't you want to celbrate the day you were born?"

"Not particularly."

"Tell you what. How about you come over to my place and we'll have a small celebration? You can consider it our make-up date if that will make you feel better."

"I guess. Should I bring food?"

"No! It's your birthday, Luke. You shouldn't have to cook."

"Then what will we eat?"

"Don't worry about it. I have a plan." Luke groaned when he heard this; he was worried about what exactly her plan might be.

Lorelai convinced Leslie to teach her to cook a healthy meal for Luke. Although Leslie had offered to cook the meal for her, Lorelai had wanted to prepare it herself so that it was special. Of course, Lorelai first had to buy a stove and persuade Luke to install it for her. She claimed she wanted it for him to cook, attempting to keep the special dinner a surprise. She hoped the dinner would turn out to be a good surprise.

Leslie came over two hours before Lorelai's date with Luke was scheduled to begin carrying a bag from Doose's. Lorelai answered the door half ready with a toothbrush hanging from the corner of her mouth and her hair sloppily pulled back out of her face. She already wore a rather skimpy pale blue dress which she had picked up on a clearance rack the week before. It barely reached her mid-thigh, and the neckline was quite low. Leslie looked at her curiously, and Lorelai sighed. "I knew this dress was a bit too 'come-and-get-it'."

"Do you want him to come and get it?" Leslie inquired.

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I want our relationship to be where it was before the whole Anna mess. And he was about to come and get it then."

"Then the dress is perfect."

"Really?"

"Definitely."

"Okay. Let me finish getting ready, then I'll start dinner." Lorelai walked back to the sink and quickly finished her make-up and hair before joining Leslie in the kitchen. "What do I do first?" she asked.

"First, you grill the chicken." Leslie pulled out a yellow Tupperware container. "It's been marinating a few hours, so now it's ready to cook."

"Eww. It's all slimy and gross," Lorelai complained as she picked up the chicken to place it on the grill which covered half her new stove.

"You're the one who wanted to do this, so suck it up."

"Fine. I just didn't think cooking would be so yucky." Lorelai picked up the second piece of chicken and placed it next to the first. They began to sizzle slightly as they cooked. Lorelai scrubbed her hands clean and turned back to her friend. "Now what?"

"Now we wait for a little while before we start the rice."

Lorelai managed to boil the rice without incident and flipped the chicken breasts without dropping them. Leslie gave her step-by-step instructions and never once left the kitchen so she could ensure that Lorelai did not hurt herself or the dinner. As the rice finished cooking, Lorelai glanced into the pot. "Why is it brown?"

"Because it's whole grain rice," Leslie explained. "It's healthier. Now, chop this!" She handed Lorelai a red pepper and a knife. "Carefully," Leslie added. Lorelai chopped the pepper into small pieces, enjoying the power she felt while holding the knife. "Now dump that in along with this." Leslie handed her a bag of spinach.

"Do we have to put vegetables in the rice?"

"You wanted a healthy meal."

"But you said this rice is healthier than normal rice anyway."

"It has no taste. That's why we add stuff to it. Just trust me and add what I tell you to." Heaving an over-dramatic sigh, Lorelai handed her a bag of shredded cheese.

"Low-fat cheese? This stuff's disgusting!"

"You can't tell the difference. Now, quit complaining!"

"Fine," Lorelai huffed and dumped in the cheese.

"Thank you. While that finishes cooking, you can make the salad."

"I have to do more?"

"This is the easy part. Just get a big bowl and dump all this in," Leslie instructed. Setting the salad ingredients in front of her. "You have to chop the tomato first of course." Lorelai picked up the bag of field greens and eyed them carefully.

"These look like something I picked from the trees out back."

"They're-"

"Healthy. Yeah, yeah, I know."

Lorelai had just finished tossing the salad when there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Luke standing there. He had traded his usual flannel and jeans for a button-down and slacks, and his head was devoid of a ball cap. Lorelai kissed him soundly, and he eagerly slipped his tongue into her mouth. She finally pulled back after a couple minutes, breathless, and he noticed Leslie for the first time. His ears tinged red. "Hi," he greeted.

"Hello," she replied. "I was just about to leave. Lorelai, everything should be done, so you can take it off the stove now. I'll see you tomorrow." She lifted Rory's car seat in one hand and the diaper bag and portable crib in the other before waving goodbye and leaving.

"She's babysitting tonight?" Luke wondered.

"Yeah. I thought it should be just the two of us." Lorelai carefully lifted the chicken from the grill with a spatula and placed it on two plates. She shut off the burners and spooned some of the rice onto the plates and set them on the table. Two lit candles in the center of the table added to the romantic ambiance. Lorelai placed two salad bowls beside the plates and set the salad in the center of the table. "Dinner is served," she announced.

"You made me dinner?" he asked.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"It's just. . . I thought you couldn't cook."

"Maybe you're not the only compulsive liar in this relationship. I mean, I can cook fine as long as Leslie is here to tell me exactly what to do."

"And the truth comes out."

"Hey. I still cooked the meal, mister. Ask Leslie! I wouldn't let her do anything. Well, she marinated the chicken before she brought it over, but I would've done that if she'd told me I had to." Luke kissed her.

"Thank you. It's a really nice gesture."

"And it's healthy, too. Or at least, Leslie says it is."

"And you're going to eat it?"

"I'll consider it." Lorelai sat down at one end of the table, and he took the seat across from her. As she dished up the salad, she asked. "So, birthday boy, you feel any older?"

"Not really."

"Well, you look it. The AARP will be sending you brochures in no time."

"I'll watch out for them."

"Good. 'Cause you know you can get some great discounts if you join."

"Unfortunately, I think I'll have a few more years before they'll let me join."

"Just dye your hair grey and stay out in the sun a lot. You'll look sixty in no time. On second thought, don't do that. I don't want to feel like I'm kissing my grandfather."

"This dinner's very good, Lorelai. You might be a better cook than you thought."

"Thank you. Was the whole sixty-year-old you topic making you uncomfortable?"

"Extremely."

"Then my work here is done."

"You enjoy making me uncomfortable?"

"Duh! It's fun watching you squirm."

"I went fishing the other day. I caught a nice big trout. So I reeled it in and cut the hook out of its mouth. Then, I made a long slit down its underside to take its stomach and intestines out, and I-"

"Luke, I'm eating!"

"Not so fun on the receiving in, huh?"

"You've made your point, so let's go back to talking about something less gross. My ear started making a funny noise the other day. KInda like a loud clicking."

"Might be the engine knocking."

"Should I let it in?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "I'll look at it tomorrow."

"Thanks. You're my hero!"

"Great," he replied dryly.

"No, really. If you ever step into a phone booth, miraculous things could happen. And I'm not talking about anything dirty here. And with your lower body, you would look great in tights. I mean, they would clearly show-"

"Okay, we're ending this discussion here." Lorelai continued to stare at him. "Stop imagining me in tights!" he told her.

"I can't help it. Once I get that picture in my head, it just won't go away."

"Please picture me in something else."

"Maybe you in a kilt. It would show off your lower body well."

"Why would I ever wear a kilt?"

"I don't know. Maybe you have some crazy Scottish relatives who kidnap you and force you to adapt to their culture."

"First of all, I have no Scottish relatives, crazy or otherwise. Secondly, why don't you just not picture me in anything."

"Interesting suggestion. Let's see, Luke naked."

"Aw geez, Lorelai, that's not what I meant. Just stop picturing me period."

"Sorry. That's impossible because you are always on my mind."

Luke wanted to do the dishes, but Lorelai refused to let him since it was his birthday. As she washed dishes, he looked through some pictures she had recently had developed. Most were of Rory, though Luke noticed he was in quite a few of them, too. He found one where he was fast asleep in an armchair next to Lorelai's couch with Rory snoozing on top of him. He stared at the picture curiously for a few seconds, unable to remember when it was taken. "Hey, Lorelai, where'd you get this picture from?" he questioned, walking to the sink to show her the picture. When she saw it, she smiled.

"You remember when you came over about a month ago to fix the tv? Again?"

"Sure. The power cable had come unsoldered, so it wouldn't turn on."

"Well, Rory woke up, and you changed her and started trying to put her back to sleep, but you fell asleep yourself. I was going to put Rory back in her crib and let you sleep there, but I had to take this picture first."

"Right. I remember waking up the next morning and wondering why I was still here. I missed my morning jog because I got up so late," he remembered.

"Your morning jog?"

"Yeah. I try to go out running every morning. Obviously, I don't when I'm here or when I have an early delivery, but other than those times, I always run."

"And all this time I thought your body was a gift of nature. Just when you think you know somebody, they suddenly tell you about their habitual morning jogs."

"It's relaxing. You should come sometime."

"Me? Exercise? Ha!"

"I shouldn't have even bothered asking."

"However, if you ever decide to go to a gym or something, tell me first. I might decide to tag along. It could be fun watching you work out." Lorelai put the last of the dishes away.

"I'll try to remember that."

"Good." She turned to face him and crushed her lips to his. As his arms wrapped around her waist, the pictures dropped to the floor and scattered, but neither one seemed to notice. As Lorelai drew closer to him, she slipped on one of the pictures and fell against his chest. He stumbled backwards a couple steps before his legs hit the side of her bed. Without thinking, his hands slid from her waist to her butt and lifted her up as he turned around and placed her on the bed. He had waited all his life for the right moment. He had never felt it with Anna; it was as if fate was telling him to be patient and wait. As his lips parted from Lorelai's for a second to gaze down at her perfect form, he realized what fate had wanted him to wait for. He was supposed to wait for this moment. It finally felt right.

When Lorelai felt Luke's body stop stumbling abruptly, she knew immediately what he had run into. With the limited floor space in the small shed, the bed was not far from the kitchen. She thought he would pull back like he always did, trying to be a gentleman; she was ready to persuade him to move forward with their relationship. She was ready, and she thought that he was, too. As she felt his hands move ot her butt, however, she realized he needed no enticing. His strong arms lifted her onto the bed, and she fell back, enjoying the sensation his lips always created. When he took his lips from hers briefly, she saw the desire in his eyes, and she knew the same desire existed in her own eyes. She pulled his head back down, signaling him that she wanted to continue. He happily obliged; his teeth went to work on her neck as his hands traced her calf muscle. Her hands began to undo the buttons of her shirt, and his hands soon joined hers, so that together, they soon had the shirt off. Lorelai's hands immediately began tugging at the bottom of his undershirt, pulling it out of his pants. It, too, was soon discarded.

When Lorelai began to undress him, Luke knew that she wanted to move their relationship to the next level as much as he did. He planted a knew on either side of her hips to give him better balance as he reached behind her to unzip her dress. She arched her back, allowing him to reach the zipper and quickly pull it down. She halfway sat up, and he managed to pull the dress off over her head. Tossing it to one side, he looked back at her, amazed at her beauty. Her slender frame was graced with perfect curves which were only accented by her near-nakedness. Hardly daring to believe his luck, he brought his lips back down on her neck, allowing the to move lower. His hands found the clasp to her bra, exposing her breasts. Immediately, his lips moved to one as his hands caressed the other; he felt the nipple harden beneath his fingers as she groaned in pleasure. He felt himself growing a bit impatient, but he forced himself to slow down and savor the moment, ensuring it was special.

Lorelai let her hands run over the smooth contours of his chest, enjoying the feel of his impressive muscles. Her hands briefly traced his abdomen before falling to the zipper of his slacks. She unbuttoned them and opened his fly quickly, helping him to wriggle out of them. Immediately, her hands returned to the waistband of hix boxers, and she quickly discarded these as well, exposing his full body to her. She looked up at him in awe, amazed at how god-like his body seemed. Suddenly, she felt a slight tickle as Luke's finger found the inside of her knee and moved upward. She let another loud moan escape her lips, glad she had no nosy neighbors who might hear her. Luke's lips moved to her abdomen as his finger reached the edge of her panties. He traced it briefly before pulling them off and tossing them to the side. Within seconds, his finger had returned to its previous position, sliding higher into her opening. She groaned again and bit his shoulder. "Lu-uke," she moaned. Her heart was pounding so fast she thought it would burst out of her chest. Her experience with Chris had been nothing compared to what she felt at that moment; everything suddenly seemed perfect and right with the world. She felt complete euphoria; none of her troubles seemed to exist. All that mattered was that she had Luke.

Luke's tongue soon took the place of his finger, and Lorelai moved her hands from his waist to his groin. This time, it was his turn to groan as he pulled away and looked her straight in the eye. "Lorelai, we need-" She pressed her lips to his, stopping his words. "Lorelai, we really-" His words stopped with another groan as she began stroking him. He suddenly forgot what he was about to say, losing himself in her touch. His lips found hers again as her hands positioned him, and he lowered himself into her, causing her to moan loudly. He began their lovemaking slowly, wanting it to last as long as possible, but his pace soon increased as desire overtook him. He found himself repeating her name over and over again, loving the sound of it more each time he said it. Eventually, they both climaxed, and he emptied himself inside her, letting out a loud shout of ecstasy. Everything was perfect.


	16. Chapter 16

Sometime later, they lay snuggled together in the bed. Lorelai's head rested on his bare chest, and her fingers played with the dark hair growing there. "That was amazing," she told him.

"Mmmh. Beyond amazing. Indescribably," he added.

"Who were you planning on describing it to?"

"No one."

"Oh, so you weren't planning on pulling an Anthony Michael Hall? You're welcome to have my underwear. It's on the floor where you threw it."

"What're you talking about?"

"Luke, sometimes I wonder how you can live nineteen years and still be so culturally naïve. Anthony Michael Hall. _Sixteen Candles._"

"Never seen it."

"Well, we're definitely watching it tomorrow then."

"Mm-hm. Whatever."

"Don't tell me you're tired already. What about round two?"

"Round two?" Luke looked at her.

"Oh yeah. And round three and four and five-" Luke stopped her lis with his.

"Let's just see how round two goes first."

Lorelai woke up later than usual the next morning and felt a strong arm around her waist. She smiled and turned to face Luke. He was still asleep, likely exhausted since they had not fallen asleep the night before until after round three. Lorelai debated whether or not she should wake him to come take a shower with her but decided against it since he seemed so peaceful. Quietly, she slipped out of bed and gathered some clothes to take to the shower with her.

When Lorelai finished her shower, Luke was beginning to stir. "Wha' time is it?" he asked groggily.

"Around 8:30," Lorelai replied as she finished putting on her make-up.

"8:30? Dammit! I have to open the diner. Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"You seemed a bit worn out after last night. I wanted to let you rest."

"Well, you do know how to wear a man out. I'll give you that."

"On the plus side, you don't have to worry about your morning run since we burned so many calories last night."

"I guess. I've got to take a shower and get to the diner, though."

"Go ahead. Go to work and leave your poor girlfriend here by herself."

Luke kissed her. "Go pick up Rory. Then you'll have company."

After picking up Rory, Lorelai headed to the diner. She had asked Mia to give her the morning off, so she still had a few hours to kill. "I need coffee," she told Luke, sitting at the counter and placing Rory's carrier on the stool beside her.

"This stuff'll kill you," he told her.

"Well, it's your fault I'm tired, mister. If you hadn't-"

His hand covered her mouth, cutting her off. "Lorelai, please!"

"I'm sorry. I'm a little unsure of how I should act when ordering coffee once I've seen the proprietor naked." She smirked as his face crimsoned.

"You can start by keeping your voice down."

"Fine," she whispered. "But I must say for someone who'd never had sex before, you were pretty good." Lorelai raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Can we discuss this later when we're not in public?"

"There are other things I'd rather do when we're not in public."

"I'm going to get your coffee now." He poured her beverage of choice in a large mug and set it in front of her. Rory began to fuss, so he picked her up and lifted her in the air. She giggled happily and reached for his hat.

"Oh my God!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"What?"

"Luke, that was her first laugh! I have to get a picture of this." She dug through the diaper bag until she found the cameral and snapped a quick shot.

"Was that really her first laugh?" he asked as Rory began to chew on his hat once more.

"Yes, it was. I guess she was saving it for Daddy." Lorelai watched him closely to see how he would react to the title, but he simply stared down at Rory silently.

Lorelai helped with the first half of the lunch rush before she had to leave for the inn. At Luke's insistence, she left Rory with him and drove back to the inn empty-handed. As soon as she clocked in, she practically ran up the stairs trying to find Leslie. She eventually discovered her friend in room 108 making up the bed. When Leslie heard her enter the room, she turned around to face Lorelai. "Okay, Ms. Elusive, I want details now," Leslie told her. "You refused to tell me anything this morning."

"You had to go to work."

"Well, I'm at work now, so spill."

"He really liked the dinner. Thank you again, by the way." Lorelai helped her change the sheets on the bed, pulling them taut. "After dinner, I washed dishes, and he started looking through these pictures I had just developed. Anyway, he found one of him and Rory and asked me about it, so I told him. Then, he kissed me, and one think led to another. . ."

"So you did it?" Lorelai nodded. "How was it?"

"It was. . . amazing. The best experience of my life. Except maybe Rory's birth."

"Wow. You had sex with Luke, Mr. Grumpy, I-Won't-Let-Anyone-Close-To-Me." As Leslie said this, Lorelai heard a thump behind her and turned to see Mia standing in the open doorway wearing a shocked expression. A stack of papers had slipped from her hands and scattered in front of her. Lorelai flushed.

"Um, hi Mia." Suddenly, Lorelai felt that she was once again facing her mother to tell her she was pregnant. Unlike her own mother, however, Lorelai did not want to disappoint Mia, and she wished she and Leslie had chosen a more private place to talk.

"I was just coming up to ask you to clean 212," Mia told Lorelai as she bent to retrieve the dropped papers. "Just whenever you get a chance."

"I'll get right on it." Lorelai decided that if Mia was going to pretend like she had not heard a thing, she would play along.

"Good." Mia straightened up again. "And Lorelai? I know that what you and Luke do is not my business, but please just be careful. I love you both like my own kids, and I wouldn't want anything. . . unexpected to happen to the two of you."

"Okay," Lorelai say, quickly leaving the room to avoid the increasingly awkward conversation.

When Lorelai entered Luke's diner that night, she found him holding Rory and his ordering pad with one arm while writing down an order with his free hand. Lorelai took the ordering pad from him, and he smiled at her gratefully before beginning to bounce Rory on his shoulder as he carried her up to his apartment. He came back down after a couple minutes and disappeared into the kitchen. Lorelai followed to give him the customer's orders.

As the dinner rush began to slow, Lorelai heard Rory's cries through the baby monitor she had attached to her hip. Apologizing to the customers whose orders she was taking, she went up the stairs to Luke's apartment and grabbed Rory from her crib and a bottle from the fridge before hurrying back downstairs. She finished the couple's order without writing it down, being unable to balance a baby, an ordering pad, and a pen as well as Luke could. As she walked into the kitchen, she gave Luke the remainder of the orders and the bottle. "Could you warm this up for me?"

"Sure. No problem," he assured her. "Want me to take her?"

"Don't you have things to cook?"

"I can multitask. Come on, hand her over. I know it's hard to take care of customers with a screaming baby." He wiped his hands and held out his arms. Gratfully, Lorelai passed Rory to him and left to finish taking orders. She could still hear her daughter's cries as she left the kitchen along with Luke's voice attempting to soothe the upset baby.

After Lorelai checked on all the customers, she collapsed onto a stool at the counter. Luke emerged from the kitchen carrying a much quieter Rory who was sucking contentedly on her bottle. He passed her to Lorelai, and Rory immediately snuggled against her mother's chest. "What can I get you?" he asked.

"Hmm. How about a BLT. . . with cheese. .. and no lettuce or tomato."

"So basically a bacon and cheese sandwich. Anything else?"

"A vanilla milkshake and an apple."

"An apple?"

"I don't know; after that healthy meal last night, I feel like eating healthy again."

"Well, I'm certainly not complaining. Your food'll be out in a minute." He turned to Kirk who was sitting a couple seats away from her. "What about you, Kirk?"

"I'll have one of those." Kirk nodded in Lorelai's direction.

"One of what? The sandwich, the milkshake, or the apple."

"No, none of that!" Kirk pointed, and Luke's eyes followed the direction of his finger.

"A bottle?"

"Yeah. It looks good."

"I'm not getting you a bottle, Kirk."

"You gave Lorelai one."

"Actually, she brought it. I just warmed it up for her."

"So if I bring a bottle, will you warm it up for me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you're not a baby, Kirk. You don't need a bottle."

"Lorelai's not a baby either."

"But Rory is."

"That's not fair! I want a bottle."

"Life's not fair. Now, give me a real order or leave."

"Fine. I want a PB and J."

"Okay. It'll be ready in a minute."

"Make sure you cut it into four pieces."

"I know, Kirk."

Luke brought out Lorelai's food and took Rory from her as she ate. In no time, Lorelai had finished most of her meal and looked over at him. "Would you stop doing that?"

"What?" he asked.

"Watching me eat. It creeps me out."

"Sorry." Luke quickly looked back at Rory who seemed fascinated by her toes. He tickled her exposed stomach, and she giggled happily. Lorelai watched the exchange with amusement.

"Sometimes, I think she likes you better. She only laughs when you're around."

"Maybe you're just not funny," he retorted. Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, hey, I meant to tell you. Mia kinda overheard Leslie and I talking about last night."

"Kinda? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, she doesn't know which positions we used or that amazing thing you did with your tongue-"

"Lorelai!"

"But she does know we were intimate."

"Aw geez!"

"It's not really my fault, Luke. I didn't know she was standing there!"

"Well, you shouldn't have been talking about that at all. That's private!"

"Leslie's my best friend. She ahs a right to know about last night."

"No, she didn't."

"Come on, Luke, it's not that bad. It's not like Mia's going to start questioning us about all the details. She just told me to be careful."

"Great. Now I'll never be able to look Mia in the face again."

"We've been dating three months, Luke. I'm sure she assumed that if we weren't intimate now, we would be soon enough. People have noticed that we definitely have a hands-on type of relationship. Especially after that kiss in Doose's the other day."

"People saw that?"

"We weren't really hidden. But so what if people know? That still doesn't change the fact that last night was quite possibly the best night of my life."

"I would definitely agree with that." Luke kissed her.

"Feel like repeating last night? I'm sure Leslie would be willing to watch Rory again," Lorelai said against his lips.

"Don't you want a break?"

"Not really. Once you pop, the fun don't stop."

"I don't ever want to hear you say that again." Lorelai giggled.

In the end, Luke agreed to let her drop Rory off with Leslie. Lorelai could be very persuasive. After she drove Rory to Leslie's, Lorelai returned to Luke's apartment and found him sitting on the couch flipping through channels. She approached him and began to massage his shoulders. His muscles tensed briefly before relaxing as her fingers kneaded deeper. She leaned over and kissed his cheek before running her tongue along his ear. "You know, we can't just keep dropping Rory of at Leslie's house," he commented. Her tongue hit a sensitive spot, and he moaned loudly.

"Would you rather she stay here to watch us?" Lorelai asked, her breath tickling his ear.

"God no!"

"Maybe I could drop her off with Mia sometimes. After all, she already knows about us."

"Again, no! I was thinking more along the lines of expanding this apartment to make it two rooms. My dad owned the building next to this, too, even though he never did anything with it, so there's plenty of room to expand."

"Not a bad idea." Lorelai brought her teeth down on his ear, causing him to groan again.

"Wait a second," he said, pulling away. "I need to get something. He went into the bathroom and emerged a few seconds later carrying a box. Lorelai read the label.

"Condoms? Somebody's confident."

He squirmed uncomfortably. "Yeah, I thought I'd take Mia's advice. Make sure we're safe."

"That's a pretty big box. You plan on using all those?"

"They were cheaper this way."

"And if last night was any indication, they'll be gone in a week." She approached him and kissed him soundly as her hands went to his hair, knocking his baseball cap to the ground. They kissed fiercely for a few minutes before she moved her lips down to his neck."

"Lorelai? You know how to use these?"

"Don't worry, big boy. We'll figure it out."

As always, Luke's alarm went off at 5:30 the next morning. He groggily reached behind him and turned it off before looking down at the beautiful woman snuggled against him. The blanket lay across the lower half of her body, leaving her naked breasts exposed. Her head rested on his chest, and one arm was slung over his abdomen. His arm encircled her shoulders, and his hand rested on her lower back. Gently, he kissed her forehead and slid out of the bed. He gathered his clothes and the discarded condoms from the floor, tidying up the place before pulling on sweatpants and a t-shirt, writing her a note, and leaving for his jog.

Since Leslie lived nearby, Luke jogged over to her apartment and picked up Rory. When he made it back to his apartment, Rory was beginning to stir, ready for her morning feeding. He started heating the bottle as he rocked the baby gently. Lorelai still slept soundly, occasionally moving a bit into a more comfortable position. He loved watching her sleep, for she seemed so relaxed and peaceful. Her mouth was open slightly, and her hair was a mess, but to Luke, she looked even more stunning. If she was perfect, he could never have dated her, for he himself had his faults. Luckily, their faults seemed to complement each other.

By the time Luke fed and changed Rory, it was nearing 6:30. He kissed Lorelai on the lips, and she stirred, opening her eyes to look up at him. "I'm going to take a shower. Feel like joining me?"

"Of course." Lorelai rose from the bed and stretched before following him into the bathroom.

After their shower, Luke opened the diner and started a pot of coffee. Lorelai helped him to unstuck the chairs from the tables before grabbing a couple donuts and some coffee to go. "I've got to be at the inn by 7:30," she apologized. "But I'll be here for lunch. I promise." She kissed him soundly; since no one had entered the diner yet, he allowed his tongue to slip into her mouth and his hands into the pockets of her jeans.

Once he pulled away, he said, "I look forward to it."

"Think I can have another apple with my donuts? The one last night was very good."

"Of course." He found the desired fruit and handed it to her. After another lengthy kiss, she swung Rory's diaper bag over her shoulder and left.

After Luke closed the diner that night, Lorelai sat on the sofa in his apartment, watching as he measured the wall. "So the funniest thing happened today. There were these two guests in 209 that we thought we lost. We sent them out skiing, and they were supposed to be back in a couple hours, but they didn't show. We started to panic because we thought they might be lost out on the slopes somewhere, so Eric—he's one of the bellhops and a really good skier—decided to go find them. When he opened the shed where we keep the skiing equipment, he found them in there half-naked. Turns out they had gotten locked in while trying to put away their skiing equipment and decided to use their time to have some fun."

"What did Eric do?"

"He just shut the door and let them be. You know, until you finish this new room, we could always have some fun in that shed."

"And have Eric walk in on us? I don't think so."

Over the next two weeks, Lorelai and Luke went on only one date which was unfortunately cut short because Rory had a slight cold. Luke spent most of his free time working on the second room for the apartment, and Lorelai spent her evenings closing the diner to give him more time to work. She wanted to help him, but he refused to allow her to bring Rory into the sawdust-ridden apartment. So after the diner was closed, he often went back to the shed to watch movies either by herself or with Leslie. By the end of two weeks, she was desperate for some time alone with her.

After she closed up one night, Luke came down the stairs grinning from ear to ear. Sawdust coated his flannel shirt and his blue baseball cap, but he seemed oblivious to his rather grungy appearance. Dropping the hammer he was holding on the counter, he pulled Lorelai to him in a passionate kiss. At first, she wanted to object due to the dust which still covered his body, but two weeks of pent up emotions surfaced, and she began to eagerly return the kiss. He pulled back after a couple minutes, leaving her hungry for more. "It's done," he announced. "Or mostly done, at least. I still need to lay some carpet and paint, but it has four walls and a door. A solid, wooden door with a lock."

"Really? Do you plan on using said door tonight?"

"Definitely." He kissed her again. When he pulled back, he began to tug her arm, leading her up to the apartment. "Come see!" He was as excited as a kid at Christmas as he brought her up the steps. Lorelai grabbed Rory' carrier and diaper bag before following him. When she entered the apartment, she noticed that the cloud of sawdust which had once hung in the air was gone. A new door was the only difference Lorelai noted in the room. Luke opened it, revealing a small room. The walls were still white plaster, and the floor was still cement, but Lorelai smiled anyway. "I know it's not much," Luke began.

"But as you said, it has four walls and a door," Lorelai remarked, kissing him again. "I hope that door's soundproof."

"Not completely, but reasonably so."

"Good. Very good. I'll just go put Rory in her crib."

"I'll move the bed in here."

"Don't worry about that. You'll just have to move it back out again when you put carpet down. Why don't you get a couple sleeping bags for us?"

"Okay." They both left the room, and he grabbed a couple sleeping bags from a small closet while she lay Rory gently in her crib.

"Night, sweetheart. Sleep tight. And soundly. Don't worry about any noises you might hear.' Lorelai smiled at her slumbering daughter and joined Luke back in the other room. He had laid two sleeping bags out side-by-side. Lorelai laughed. "Sometimes, you are so naïve, Luke," she told him. She unzipped both the sleeping bags and lay them on top of one other, completely spread out. She left the room for a minute, returning with a sheet and blanket which she tossed on top of the sleeping bags. "Now, these are much more agreeable sleeping arrangements," she commented, closing the door firmly behind her. As soon as it clicked shut, he grabbed her and pulled her to him in a hungry kiss, still attempting to make up for two weeks of lost time. He did not know how he had managed to be apart from her for so long; as his tongue greedily explored her mouth, he realized he never wanted to leave her side again.

Rory's cries came from a monitor that was lying on the floor, having fallen out of Lorelai's hands when Luke grabbed her. Reluctantly, she pulled back.

"Remember where we were," she instructed. He nodded dumbly as she left. Rory's cries soon stopped, and Lorelai reentered the room a few minutes later. "On a positive note, she'll sleep for another three hours now, so we have a good deal of time to ourselves," Lorelai told him.

"Good." He crushed her to him again, fumbling with the buttons on her blouse. As his hands began to undo them, he led her back to the makeshift bed, and they collapsed on top of the sleeping bags. His teeth traveled to her neck, tickling the sensitive skin. She knocked his dusty cap to the side before pulling off his flannel. Suddenly, he pulled away. "Dammit! I forgot the condoms."

"Did you get the flavored ones like I requested?"

He smiled slyly as he stood up. "You'll see."

"Actually, I'll taste. Now, go, but hurry back. I'll be waiting."

Luke had forgotten to move the alarm clock into the new bedroom, so Lorelai did not wake up until the early morning sunlight began to stream into the room through the single small window. Luke was already awake when she opened her eyes, watching her. "Good morning, beautiful," he said, kissing her.

"Mm, morning. Rory didn't wake up last night?"

"Actually, she did. Twice in fact. Don't worry, I took care of her."

"Thanks." Lorelai slowly sat up, and a wave of dizziness passed over her. Her stomach turned threateningly, and she clapped a hand tightly over her mouth before running to the bathroom. Luke followed, concerned. Unfortunately, Lorelai did not quite make it to the toilet; she vomited all over the tile floor. Immediately, Luke opened the lid of the toilet for her and helped her kneel down in front of it. He held her hair out of her face and rubbed her back comfortingly as she finished emptying the contents of her stomach. He felt helpless sitting there watching her retch, but he could not help her in any way. He hoped that her stomach would settle once whatever was irritating it had left her system.

For thirty minutes, they sat on the bathroom floor, Luke rubbing Lorelai's back as she vomited over and over. Every time she thought it was over, the nausea would hit again, and she would be forced back over the toilet bowl. Near the end, she was merely dry heaving, having rid herself of the entire contents of her stomach. When she finally finished, she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. Although the nausea was still present, it had lessened considerably. Luke had found a wash cloth above the sink and wet it with cold water; he placed it against her forehead and cheeks to cool her down. "Thanks," she muttered weakly.

"No problem." He left for a minute and filled a glass with water, bringing it back to her. Her hands were shaking too much to hold it steady, so he helped guide it to her lips. Once she took a couple sips, she seemed to regain some of her strength and turned her head to look at the mess on the bathroom floor.

"Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. It's easy enough to clean up. Now, I want you to sit here for a couple more minutes while I go call Mia and tell her you won't be in today. Then I'll make you some soup."

"I don't know if I can eat anything."

"You need to try at least. You should have something in your stomach."

"Okay, Dr. Danes." Lorelai took another sip of water as he kissed her forehead and left the room.

Lorelai made it to the table with Luke's help, and he set the bowl of soup in front of her. She looked at it for a minute before picking up the spoon and taking a bite. He was right; it did help. She finished the soup quickly, and Luke smirked. "See, I told you that it was-" Before he could finish his sentence, Lorelai vomited again, sending the soup all over the table. She groaned.

"I told you I couldn't eat." She vomited once more.

"Maybe you should go to a doctor," Luke told her.

"So he can tell me to sleep and try to eat something light? I think not."

"Fine. Then you need to go lay down."

"Now that I'll agree to." Luke helped her to the bed, and she collapsed on top of it, not bothering to pull down the sheets. "Sorry about the mess."

"Not your fault." He left for a minute and returned with a glass of gingerale, two pills, and the washcloth. He gently sponged her face with the washcloth, tucking her sweat-soaked hair behind her ear.

"God, I feel awful. I must look awful, too."

"You look sick. Now, take these. They should help settle your stomach." Lorelai looked at the pills in his hand, considering.

"Get a bucket," she finally declared. Puzzled, he did as she asked. Once he returned, she took the bucket and set it in her lap before sticking the pills in her mouth and taking a large sip of the gingerale. About a minute after she swallowed, she retched into the bucket. "I was afraid of that," she muttered. "I think my stomach's telling me it doesn't want anything."

"Okay. You rest, then, while I go clean up a bit before I open the diner. I'll leave the baby monitor on, so you can just call if you need anything."

"Thanks, Luke. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably puke all over your own house." He smiled good-naturedly.

"Please don't say that word."

"Sorry. I love you." He kissed her brow.

"I love you, too."

Around noon, Lorelai walked into the diner holding Rory in her carrier. "Feeling better?" Luke asked when he saw her. She had taken a shower and changed.

"Much. It must've been some 24-hour bug. Or 8-hour bug, actually."

"That's good, but you should still take it easy."

"Trust me, Luke, I'm fine. Actually, I'm starved though. I could really go for a double bacon cheeseburger right now."

"No way. You need to eat something that'll be gentle on your stomach. I could make you some soup."

"That didn't go over so well earlier."

"We'll try toast then."

"Can I at least have an apple?"

"Sure." He handed her one. "I'll be right out with your toast."

When Lorelai woke up the following morning, she again felt the intense wave of nausea. Once more, she rushed to the bathroom. Luke was in the shower when she raced in and bent over the toilet; he heard the door open and asked, "What is it, Lorelai?" She made no response, but he heard the unmistakable sounds of her vomiting and immediately shut off the shower water to comfort her.

After more sleep and a bowl of soup, Lorelai began to feel better. She managed to make it to the inn just after noon and put in a few extra hours that night to make up for the time she had missed. By the time Lorelai made it to Luke's, it was nearing 10:00. As she opened the door, the bell above it rang. "We're closed," Luke told her without looking up from the receipts he was counting.

"Even for your sexy girlfriend who hasn't seen you since this morning and misses you terribly?" Lorelai wondered. He looked up at her and grinned.

"I guess you can come in."

"Nice to know you're so excited to see me." Still grinning, Luke walked over to her and pulled her into an amorous kiss.

"Better?" he asked, pulling back a few minutes later.

"Not quite yet." Lorelai pulled his head to hers again.

Every morning that week, Lorelai awoke with intense nausea which typically disappeared after she lay down for a couple hours and ate some soup and an apple. Luke urged her to see a doctor, but she refused, adamant that she simply had a stomach virus which would work its way out of her system eventually. By the following Monday, her condition had improved somewhat; although she was still nauseous, she managed to work most mornings. Luke had painted and carpeted the bedroom, and Lorelai spent more nights at his apartment than in the storage shed. Having his well-muscled arms wrapped around her protectively helped her sleep.

Lorelai was working at the desk Monday morning since the usual person had called in sick. The phone rang, and she answered, cheerfully greeting the caller. "Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking. How may I help you?" The caller asked about reservations, and Lorelai began to rifle through the reservation book on the desk. As she flipped past the page with the day's date, she paused momentarily, lost in thought. She had forgotten how late in March it was; she had been too busy to pay any attention to the dates. However, as she thought about it, pieces began to fall into place. Lorelai bit her lip, willing her instinct not to be correct.

Quickly, Lorelai made a reservation for the caller and clocked out for lunch. Taking Rory and her diaper bag, Lorelai strode to the car and pulled away from the inn. Instead of turning toward the diner, however, she turned to the highway. Impatience gnawed at her insides; she wanted to know right at that moment whether her instincts were true or not. She _needed _to be home.

Lorelai drove quicker than she normally would and reached Woodbury in twenty minutes. It took another ten to find a convenience store; by the time she pulled into a parking space, she was eager to prove herself wrong. Hastily, she retrieved everything from the backseat and carried it into the store. The inside was brightly lit with fluorescent lights, and all around her, Lorelai heard the beeping of checkout machines. Lorelai strode to the back of the store with purpose, hoping to avoid any contact. In the pharmacy, she found what she sought and quickly took the box from the shelf, hiding the label so as to conceal the identity of the box's contents. When she reached the checkout line, the cashier glanced at her curiously before ringing up Lorelai's sole purchase. Lorelai refused to meet the probing eyes of the cashier, unable to face the accusation she knew resided there.

As soon as Lorelai paid, she raced to the bathroom at the front of the store, unable to tolerate the suspense any longer. She managed to maneuver herself and Rory's carrier into the handicapped stall. Once safely inside, she removed the purchase from the bag and stared at it for a minute. She had thought she would not be seeing one of them again for awhile, but she had been mistaken. Her stomach churned with nerves as it had that fateful day more than a year before. Sighing, Lorelai opened the box.

Tow minutes later, Lorelai stood with baited breath. She hated waiting, hated the feeling of her heart's heavy pounding in her chest. Slowly, Lorelai brought the stick she held in her hand up to eye level. Although she had never been particularly religious, Lorelai began to pray, hoping she had not made the same mistake twice. Her parents would never forgive her. . . if she ever talked to them again. With a final deep breath, Lorelai glanced at the stick, and her stomach fell like a brick. It was pink. Lorelai was pregnant.


	17. Chapter 17

As Lorelai left the store, a haze settled over her. Should she tell Luke? He was, after all, the father. But Lorelai feared he might run as Chris did. Or, more than likely, do the right thing by marrying her. As much as Lorelai loved Luke, she did not want to get married, not yet. She was content with where their relationship was—had been, actually; the pregnancy would change everything. For one wild moment, Lorelai considered having an abortion, for that act would return everything to the way it once was. However, Lorelai quickly dismissed the thought, angry at herself for even considering such a callous action. Just as she could not abort Rory because of their special connection, she already felt the same love for her unborn child.

More than likely, Lorelai would have to move to another town to start her life over again. She would move somewhere where nobody knew her or her past, and she could raise her children in peace. Children. Lorelai could not imagine how she would manage two children. She could barely take care of Rory even with Luke's help. As she thought of Luke, another pang of sorrow rippled though her heart. She would have to leave Luke behind; he would surely not want to be burdened with two children. Tears formed in the corners of Lorelai's eyes, but she wiped them away quickly away. She needed to be strong. She had depended on Luke for too long; it was time for her to regain her independence.

The lunch rush was dying down when Lorelai reached the diner. She immediately walked to the counter where he stood. He leaned over to kiss her, but she put out a hand to stop him. "We need to talk," she declared. His expression grew worried.

"No good ever comes of those words."

"Let's just go somewhere private." Taking his hand, Lorelai led him up to his apartment. Obviously sensing the seriousness of the situation, he remained quiet. When they reached the small apartment, Lorelai turned to face him. "I've been thinking about how exactly to phrase what I'm about to tell you, and I think the best way is to just come right out and tell you. Luke, I-" Lorelai faltered for a moment. Once she told him, there was no turning back. She would have to deal with his reaction, whatever it might be. He deserved to find out from her. "I'm pregnant."

Luke did not speak for a few seconds. Hundreds of responses raged through his head like wildfire, each vying for prominence. Luke's immediate thought was 'How?,' but before he could voice this question, his brain presented him with a vivid memory of his birthday. In their eagerness, they had not used any protection, and now they had to face the consequences. Luke's gaze fell to Rory who was asleep in her carrier on the floor. He remembered how happy he always felt when he held her to his arms, how right the world seemed when he was around her. Suddenly, the prospect of a new baby did not seem so bad. Of course, the timing was not ideal; he and Lorelai were still young and unmarried, but he loved Lorelai and Rory and. . . the unborn baby. It was odd to feel a connection to an unborn child, but it was there, and Luke could not ignore it.

Lorelai watched Luke's face, wishing he would say something to give her insight into what he was feeling. She was afraid he would bolt; in fact, she was waiting for him to turn and run out the door. But he just stood there, staring at nothing in particular. As Lorelai was about to say something, he finally spoke. "Okay."

"Okay? Okay what, Luke? Did you hear what I just said."

"Of course I heard it. You're pregnant. Okay, we can deal with that. The diner's doing very well; I can easily make enough to support four people, especially with your income to supplement mine. There's space left in the building next door, so I can expand the apartment some more."

Lorelai could not believe her ears. Luke was not running; he was planning on how they could support two kids. Both of them. Together. It seemed surreal. Unfortunately, Lorelai's mouth seemed determined to ruin her happiness. "I don't want to get married," she blurted out. Luke blinked and regarded her carefully. "I just think we're too young," she continued. "And we haven't known each other very long. And I want to get married when we're ready—not because we're having a baby." She waited for him to begin yelling and imploring her to marry him as Chris had done. His reticence was infuriating. She wished he would stop staring at her without speaking. Even screaming would be preferable to his silence.

At long last, he spoke. "I admit, I thought we should get married because that's the right thing to do, but if you don't want to right now, I'll wait for you. Mia'll probably let me expand the shed a bit to give you and the kids some more room, and I'll help financially, of course-" Before he could continue, Lorelai cut his words off with her lips.

"I love you so much," she told him, pulling her lips from his but remaining in his embrace.

"I love you, too," he replied, kissing her again.

"I as afraid for a minute there that you were going to pull a Chuck Cunningham."

"What?"

"Disappear. Just like Chris did."

"I'm not Chris, Lorelai."

"I know." They kissed once more.

"So we're going to have a baby?"

"We're going to have a baby," Lorelai confirmed before kissing him again. Suddenly, the prospect of having a baby did not seem so ominous. In fact, Lorelai began to imagine how nice it would be to have Luke's baby.

That night, Lorelai lay on the couch in Luke's apartment, flipping absent-mindedly through channels. He lay behind her on his side with his arm on, wrapped around her waist, pulling her close to his chest. His hand stroked her stomach gently, indicating that he was thinking of the baby. Finding nothing interesting on, Lorelai switched off the television. With some difficulty, she managed to turn and face him, her body mere centimeters from his. "I've been thinking, Luke. Even if we don't get married, I still think we should live together so the kids can have both parents under one roof."

"You sure? I mean, moving in together is a big step."

"We already practically live together. I'm here most nights."

"Yeah, but if I ever get on your nerves, you have somewhere to go."

"I don't' want anywhere else to go. I've thought about this for awhile now, and it's what I want." Lorelai kissed him, and his hands found their way under her shirt.

Lorelai worked a later shift one night a couple weeks later, leaving Rory with Luke for the night. Because his truck was not working properly, he had taken her car for the day and was picking her up. As she clocked out, Lorelai realized how eager she was to see Luke; although it had been only a few hours once she saw him, Lorelai longed to be back in his arms. She sometimes wondered if it was natural to yearn for someone's touch as much as she did Luke's.

As Lorelai walked out of the inn, she inhaled deeply. Spring was rapidly approaching, and the scent of flowers an drain heralded its approach. The snow had melted from most of the trees, and a few feeble blossoms had appeared on the previously bare branches. Lorelai shut the inn's doors behind her and stepped onto the small porch. As she came to the first step, a figure appeared at the base of the stairs. The man seemed to be wearing a bulky overcoat over his broad shoulders. Lorelai figured he was a guest coming back form a late night stroll. "Can I help you?" she offered politely, pulling the thin coat she wore over her uniform tighter around her shoulders as the temperature seemed to drop a couple degrees.

"I don't know, Lorelai, can you?" a familiar voice asked. He remained in the shadows, but Lorelai could tell immediately who it was from the deep voice.

"Digger? What are you doing here?"

"Just passing through on some business. Thought I'd stop by and say hello. I still hate that nickname, by the way."

"Digger, it's 11:00 at night," Lorelai said, ignoring his comment about the name.

"So? Plenty of time to have some fun." He walked up the stairs to her side, and Lorelai saw the unsteadiness of his gait.

"You're drunk, Digger. Go back to wherever you're staying and sleep it off."

"I'm not drunk," he insisted, hiccupping. "And I'll only go back if you go with me."

"Digger I told you no once, and I'm telling you no again." Lorelai started to leave, but he grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him. She tried to wriggle free, but his grip was strong. As he leaned forward, Lorelai could smell the alcohol on him. It seemed to be seeping out of every pore on his body, and Lorelai felt lightheaded as if she had somehow become drunk off the smell. "Let me go!" she screamed, struggling.

"I don't think so." Jason pulled her down the steps with him, and she stumbled a bit before regaining her footing and scrambling after him before he could drag her to the ground. Although she tried valiantly to escape him, the vice-like grip on her wrist never slackened, and Lorelai was forced to follow him. He led her to the side of the inn and stopped abruptly, causing Lorelai to bump into him. She was scared now, scared of what he was planning. He had always been a bit reckless, even when sober, but drunk, well, Lorelai did not even want to begin to imagine what he was capable of when drunk. She was sure he was not planning anything pleasant.

Spotting the shed where the skiing equipment was kept, Jason began to walk towards it purposefully, still dragging Lorelai along. Lorelai suddenly had an idea of what he was planning, and her struggling increased. She opened her mouth to yell for help, but she had only managed a small sound before Jason's large hand clamped down over her mouth, muffling her screams. Lorelai attempted to bite his palm, but he arched it smoothly back, preventing her teeth from touching his skin. Unwilling to give up, Lorelai brought her foot up to kick him, but he blocked it with his own foot. Using his free hand, he pulled something from his pocket and held it in front of Lorelai's face so that she could see it glinting in the moonlight. Lorelai's body went rigid as he placed the knife against her neck. The cool metal seemed to burn her skin. She flinched slightly but made no other movements, watching the knife closely. He chuckled maliciously. "I thought that might calm you down a bit," he whispered. Lorelai bit her tongue to hold back a sarcastic comment that she knew would put her in even more trouble. Silently, she prayed, pleading with God to send help.

Luke arrived to pick up Lorelai about fifteen minutes early, so he parked the car outside the inn and turned off the engine. Looking back, he saw that Rory was awake, so he reached back and unbuckled her before lifting her out of the car seat and into his lap. She squealed with laughter as he tickled her feet, and he smiled, too. He loved her laugh which seemed unusually strong for someone her size. As he continued tickling her, a wave of dread passed over him. Something was horribly wrong; he needed to find Lorelai immediately.

Lifting Rory to his shoulder, he jogged to the front door of the inn and threw it open. Since no one was at the front desk, he turned immediately to Mia's office. He wanted Mia to assure him that Lorelai was safe and show him to the room she was cleaning. He wanted to gather Lorelai in his arms and feel her heart beating against his own, but instinct told him that Lorelai was not okay and that Mia would not provide the news he so desperately wished to hear.

With his heart thudding against his chest, Luke reached the door to Mia's office and pushed it open without knocking. He had no time to bother with manners; he needed to find Lorelai as quickly as possible. Mia looked up from her desk when he walked in and raised her eyebrows curiously. "Lucas, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" she questioned, rising from her seat.

"I need to find Lorelai," Luke said.

"She just left for the night. Is something wrong?"

Luke cursed loudly but did not answer Mia's question. Instead, he held Rory out to her. "Can you take Rory for a few minutes? There's something I need to do."

"Of course. What's going on?"

"I'll explain later." Luke quickly passed Rory into Mia's waiting arms and left the office. He did not know where to begin looking for Lorelai. It seemed unlikely that she was still in the inn, for it would have been hard to ambush her there without attracting attention. However, she was probably still close, for Mia said she had just left for the night. Luke strode outside, still deep in thought. He remembered a story Lorelai had told him a few weeks before about a couple found in the shed where the ski equipment was kept. Somehow, Luke knew that he would find Lorelai in that shed. His feet turned automatically towards it although he had never been there before, and he found himself walking directly toward the shed as if an invisible string were pulling him there.

Lorelai watched in horror as Jason removed his belt. She felt more frightened than she ever had before, but with the cold steel of the knife still against her throat, she was unable to do anything. Jason pushed Lorelai into a sitting position and seated himself on top of her legs to prevent her from moving. Using his free hand, he grabbed both her slender wrists and forced them behind her back, gripping them tightly together. Finally feeling she was fairly well subdued, he removed the knife from her throat and placed it between his teeth as he reached his other hand behind her also. He wrapped the belt around her wrists and pulled it so tight that it cut off the circulation in her hands. Refusing to give him the satisfaction of crying out in pain, Lorelai bit her bottom lip. Once satisfied that she could not wriggle out of the belt, Jason pulled a dirty handkerchief from his pocket and stuffed it in her mouth. It had the salty taste of sweat, and Lorelai felt the urge to vomit. Closing her eyes, she managed to control her stomach, unwilling to show any sign of weakness. Jason had already started tying her feet together with a rope he had found. He seemed to grow more gleeful by the second, and Lorelai became more and more apprehensive. She knew where he was headed, but she had no way to prevent him from doing whatever he wanted. She was completely helpless sitting there with her arms and feet bound together, completely subservient to his will.

As soon as she was bound, he pushed her shoulders back, forcing her to lie on the dusty floor. He clawed at her shirt, ripping it off her body and tossing the torn fabric aside. His eyes greedily roved over her upper body, growing wide with excitement. Still staring at her, he yanked off her bra, exposing her upper body fully to him. His fingers found their way to her breasts, and Lorelai felt an overwhelming desire to vomit once more. His touch was the exact antithesis to Luke's. While Luke's touch aroused passion and desire, Jason's only aroused hatred and nausea. Lorelai's struggles began anew; she wanted to flee from him, to prevent him from touching her ever again. With a small laugh, Jason pulled the knife from between his teeth and placed it on her skin with the flat side down. "Not so fast, my precious,' he hissed, moving the blade slowly down her body. She again fell still, and he removed the blade from her waist where it had come to rest. "Much better, thank you." His fingers went back to her skin as his tongue began to play with one of her breasts. Lorelai could barely suppress her rage, but she knew her struggles would be futile.

Jason's lips left her body for a minute, and Lorelai suddenly began to feel hopeful, wondering if he was reconsidering what he was about to do. Unfortunately, he seemed quite determined to continue as he quickly kicked off his shoes and unbuttoned his slacks. As he pulled them off, Lorelai began to shiver violently. She knew her current shakes had nothing to do with the cold which had settled in the room. She still shook as he ran his finger over her upper body a final time before bringing it to rest at the waistband of her shirt. Lorelai closed her eyes, hoping it would be quick and painless. She just wanted the whole experience to end.

As he began to pull down her skirt, Lorelai heard a loud crash behind her and a familiar voice shouted, "Get the hell away from her!" Jason's hands immediately left her body; he rose drunkenly to his feet. Lorelai managed to turn her body so that she could see Luke closely. His hands were curled into tight fists which were quivering with anger. His blue eyes blazed with an intensity unlike anything Lorelai had ever seen before; it was not a look of love but of anger and hatred—pure, unadulterated loathing. Never before had Luke looked so angry, not even when confronting Taylor. Obviously, Jason sensed Luke's feelings toward him at the moment were not entirely friendly, and he backed away from Lorelai. Unfortunately, his alcohol-addled brain was not thinking quite clearly; he approached Luke and took a clumsy swing at him. With a roar, Luke blocked Jason's fist with one hand and brought his other hand up to Jason's face. Flesh met flesh with an odd sucking sound, and Jason reeled backward from the blow. Jason's hands flew to his face, and Lorelai saw blood looking out from between his fingers. Luke continued to advance on Jason with his fists still raised. His next punch hit Jason squarely in the stomach, and he doubled over in pain. A sharp blow to the side of the head caused Jason to crumple to the floor, but Luke still did not stop. He knelt over Jason and began to ram his fists into Jason's face over and over again. Lorelai wanted to stop him; she knew Luke was likely to kill Jason if she did not intervene. However, the bonds on Lorelai's wrists and ankles were strong, and the cloth in her mouth prevented her from calling out to him. Still, Lorelai needed to stop Luke before his rage put him in a situation he would not want to be in.

Lorelai managed to let out a cry which, though muffled by the handkerchief in her mouth, was still audible. Luke paused and turned to her, and the fury on his face disappeared. "Lorelai, oh my God! Are you okay? What did that bastard do to you?" He scrambled to her side and knelt beside her, quickly removing the foul handkerchief from her mouth. His thumb stroked her cheek and the side of her face lovingly, and Lorelai relaxed with his touch. She felt that everything would be all right. Luke was here.

He untied the rope from her ankles and kissed the raw skin beneath. Lorelai shivered, but her shakes did not come from fright. Rather, the sudden goosebumps on her skin were indicators of another emotion too intense for words to describe. Gingerly, Luke lifted her into a sitting position and removed the belt from around her arms. As his fingers brushed the throbbing skin beneath, she winced slightly, and his look of concern became more pronounced. Carefully, he took her hands in his and brought them to the front of her body. His lips gently brushed the red welts caused by the belt, and Lorelai felt the pain begin to recede. Luke's effect on her was amazing; she never would have imagined she could feel so loved.

When Luke saw the red stripe across her wrists where the belt had cut off her circulation, his anger intensified. He wanted to continue pummeling Jason, to hurt him for daring to hurt Lorelai. But he forced his anger at bay; Lorelai needed him, and her comfort was infinitely more important than his revenge.

Lorelai began to shiver, and Luke shed his flannel and wrapped it around her shoulders. She continued to shiver, so he sat down on the floor and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms tightly around her as if telling her that he would never let her go. She leaned heavily against his chest, needing the comfort that only he could provide. His body had slowly begun to warm her up, and her breathing grew deeper. His hands gently stroked her back, soothing her. As her eyes closed, a pain shot through her abdomen, and she let out a cry and pulled away from his chest. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"Just call 911," she told him, biting her lip to hide the pain. He took one look at her before rushing out of the shed and back to the inn.


	18. Chapter 18

The ambulance seemed to take forever. Luke and Lorelai waited for it on the steps outside the shed; Lorelai's face was contorted and covered in sweat as she fought the pain, and Luke's hand automatically rubbed her back comfortingly, for he did not know what else to do. Mia had demanded to know what was going on when he entered the inn to call 911, but he had brushed her off, claiming he would tell her later. His anxiety for Lorelai had increased his usual brusqueness, but he did not care. Recognizing that something was seriously wrong, Mia questioned him no further. All she said was "I'll take Rory for the night."

As Luke was beginning to consider driving Lorelai to the hospital himself, he heard sirens in the distance which steadily grew closer. He rushed over to the EMT's as they pulled up and directed them to Lorelai and (rather reluctantly) Jason. Two of them lifted Lorelai onto a stretcher, and Luke saw the pain still apparent on her face. He brushed a lock of hair off her brow and kissed it gently. She smiled weakly and took his other hand which lay by her side. The paramedics returned suddenly with a second stretcher and pushed them both toward the ambulance. Luke started to follow, but one of the paramedics held him back. "There's no room on the ambulance. We're taking them to Hartford General. You can meet us there." Luke nodded dumbly and watched as they lifted Lorelai's stretcher onto the ambulance and shut the doors. E did not move again until the ambulance had become only a spot of white in the distance. Forcing himself to look away, he turned to the inn.

"Lorelai Gilmore, please," he told the nurse at the nurses' station when he ran into the waiting room.

"Are you a relative?" she asked.

"Yes," he lied quickly.

She eyed him suspiciously for a moment before finally answering. "Room 314."

"Thank you." He turned quickly and sped down the hall until he came to the door which led to the staircase. Sprinting up them two at a time, he made it to the third floor in no time and quickly glanced at the signs in front of him. He turned right and jogged down the hall, arriving at her room in record time. She was awake when he entered and turned to face him when she heard the door open. Fear covered her face, and Luke knew something was wrong; very little could break down her tough exterior. Immediately, he knelt beside her bed and took one of her hands between his own, kissing her fingers.

"They won't tell me what's going on," she croaked, her voice hoarse. Noticing a glass of water next to the bed, Luke picked it up and helped her drink. When she had finished, he replaced the cup, and she began to talk once more. Although her voice was stronger, it still quavered as she spoke. "They gave me something to help with the pain, but it still hurts Luke. It really hurts. And when I changed into my hospital gown, there was blood in my pants. There shouldn't be blood. It makes no sense, and nobody will tell me anything."

"Shh." Luke placed a finger against her lips. "It'll all be okay. You'll see."

"And if it's not?"

"You're still here, and I'm still here, and that's all that really matters. So just relax." He kissed her hand again as the door opened and a doctor appeared carrying a clipboard.

"What's going on?" Lorelai questioned. "What's wrong with me?"

The doctor looked at her sadly. "Were you aware you were pregnant?"

"Of course I was aware I- Wait a second, were?" Lorelai began to panic again, and Luke squeezed her hand to calm her.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Gilmore, there's no easy way to tell you this. I'm afraid that your body could not handle all the stress tonight, so it spontaneously aborted your baby." Luke's grip tightened on Lorelai's hand.

"What? My baby's gone?" Two weeks ago, Lorelai had not wanted the baby. But after seeing how happy Luke was when she told him she was pregnant, she started to think having a baby was not such a bad thing. After all, she loved Luke, and she knew he would always be there for her. In fact, she actually began to look forward to having the baby, imaging what he or she might look or act like. She had grown attached to the baby in the two short weeks she had known of its existence, and she could not believe it could be taken from her in the blink of an eye.

"I'm sorry," the doctor repeated before checking the monitors beside her bed, making a note on his chart, and leaving.

"Our baby, Luke," Lorelai said, turning to him. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. Luke nodded, choking back a sob. He, too, was looking forward to having the baby—their baby. A baby who was part him and part her and would connect them forever. But Jason had prevented his dream from coming true. Rage boiled inside of Luke once more as he thought of how Jason had killed his son or daughter. He wanted to punch him again, to feel the soft flesh of Jason's face beneath his fist. But he knew he had to be strong for Lorelai.

"Maybe this is God's way of telling us we need to wait a bit longer before bringing a baby into this world." Luke told her.

Tears flooded from Lorelai's eyes. "Luke, please just hold me." As soon as she asked, Luke crawled into bed beside her, sitting with his back against the pillows as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She buried her head in the safety of his chest and finally allowed her emotions to pour out.

At some point in time, they both fell asleep. When Luke awoke the next morning, sunlight was streaming in from the small window in the room. Lorelai was still snuggled tightly against him; her head rested against his shoulder and her arm was wrapped around his abdomen as if letting go might cause her to lose him forever. He smiled down at her. He was not going to leave her; he knew they would be together always and forever. For better of worse, for richer or poorer, 'til death do us part. He would have made those vows right then and there if she had asked him to, but he knew she was not ready for that time of commitment yet, and he respected that. He was willing to wait for her.

Lorelai woke up to feel Luke's hand stroking her arm gently. At first, this simple touch caused her to forget everything that had happened, but the memories soon came flooding back. As she had done every morning for the past three weeks, she jumped out of bed and raced for the bathroom. This time, it was not morning sickness which forced her to empty her stomach; rather, it was the pain of losing her baby and the fright she still felt after the night before. Just like he always did, Luke knelt beside he, comforting her and making her nausea slightly more bearable. Lorelai had lived her whole life independently, refusing help from her parents or Chris or anyone else. But with Luke, things were different. She _needed_ him. He was her rock, the one point of stability in her hectic life. She loved him whole-heartedly, nothing would ever change that.

The doctor discharged Lorelai that morning, and Luke drove her back to Stars Hollow. Either spoke on the way home; the pain was too fresh, and they were afraid to open wounds which had not yet had time to heal. Luke picked up Rory from Mia and gave a curt synopsis of what had happened, too tired and grief stricken to give details. Luke left the diner closed for the day; he also needed to be near Lorelai to remind himself that she was real and that she was okay.

The next few weeks passed slowly for Luke and Lorelai; they went about their daily routines mechanically, never really focusing on any task. Lorelai felt as if she was trapped in a fog which never lifted; it was so dense that she could not see in front of her and could not tell where her life was going next, and that uncertainty scared her. They had not made love since the miscarriage; instead, they spent each night simply lying in one another's arms, comforted by the other's presence. It was a different form of intimacy, but it was what they both needed. Sometimes, Lorelai would cry (Luke still refused to shed a tear), but sometimes her eyes were completely dry as they held each other. She knew that somehow, they would get past the pain together.

One night in early June, Luke was chasing Rory around the small apartment. The baby had learned to crawl two months before, and they had not been able to keep her still since that time. As he walked around to the back of the couch, he tripped over a stack of blocks that Rory and Lorelai had been playing with earlier. His toe connected with the leg of the couch, and he thought he heard a bone snap. Howling with pain, he began to lash out at the only available person. "Goddammit, Lorelai, how many times have I told you not to leave Rory's toys lying around?" he shouted.

"Almost as many times as I've asked you not to leave the toilet seat up," she retorted, emerging from the bathroom.

"I didn't," he told her.

"Yes, you did."

"No, I specifically made sure it was closed after you yelled at me last time." He was growing more irritable by the second; his toe was still throbbing, and he was sick of her stupid nitpicking.

"Maybe you should have checked harder." Lorelai was also growing frustrated; she hated how he would complain when she forgot to pick up the toys but then yell at her when she complained because he forgot to do something.

"Lorelai, I swear it wasn't me!"

"Then who was it? The toilet seat elves?"

"Yeah, might've been them." Their argument was growing ridiculous, and Luke knew it, but he plowed on.

"Maybe they left the toys out, too."

"Oh, of course, because that's logical."

"And elves leaving the toilet seat up is logical, too."

"Your idea."

"Don't blame this on me!" Lorelai was standing in front of Luke by this time; she felt his hot breath wash over her face. "Who should I blame then? The elves?"

"Maybe you should!"

"You know what? Fuck the elves!" Without warning, he brought her body closer to his in a forceful kiss. Lorelai wanted to struggle, but he knocked the fight out of her as he clasped her hips in his hands and brought her so close that no air separated them. They had not kissed—really kissed—in three months. She would give him short pecks on the lips every now and then or he would press his lips to her cheek or forehead, but there was no passion behind those kisses. He had waited three months; he could not wait any longer. His boy was telling him he needed release, needed to feel her naked body against his. Three months of pent up emotions rushed to the surface.

Lorelai also felt the surge of emotion course through her body when she kissed her. She thought it was too early, that they needed more time to recover from their loss, but she realized with a start that it was almost too late. She needed Luke, needed to make love to him so that she could forget about Jason, forget about the baby, forget about everything horrible that had happened. She felt his lips travel away from hers and onto her skin as her hands unbuttoned his flannel and tossed it aside. His tongue found a sensitive spot behind her ear, and she moaned, relishing at how quickly her troubles seemed to melt away. As he pushed harder against her, her back hit the edge of the countertop, and she suddenly remembered Rory. As if reading her mind, Luke took his from her skin long enough to mutter "Playpen" before re-attacking her neck.

"Bedroom," she told him, and he picked her up and carried her through the door. He kicked it shut behind him before pressing her against a wall and kissing her vigorously. She responded with equal force before pulling back long enough to lift his undershirt over his head. Once it had been discarded, she traced the familiar muscles of his chest and abdomen, assuring herself that he was Luke. Grabbing her hands, he lifted them over her head to allow him to pull her top off. She marveled at how gentle his finger seemed as it traced her body and how it seemed to send electrical chills up her spine. She felt herself grow hot and wondered how a simple touch could be so arousing.

Luke felt his arousal grow stronger and suppressed an urge to strip off her clothes with as much haste as possible. He needed to go slowly to allow the release of three months of emotions. He kissed down her neck and to her bra, running her tongue along the edge of it. She groaned again, telling him to take her bra off already, but he continued at his leisurely pace. His fingers followed the bottom of her bra as his tongue traced the top. Eventually, his hands reached her back, and he unclasped the bra and pulled it off, allowing him to move his lips farther down, circling them tantalizingly toward her nipple. Lorelai found the button to his jeans and undid it before sliding them off. He stepped out of them without stopping his ministrations, and she briefly wondered if he could cause her to climax without ever touching anything below her waist. As he switched his lips to her other breast, she reached for his boxers, but he placed his hands over hers, stopping her before she could pull them off. He was not finished yet; he wanted to draw the experience out as long as possible. Her pout became a low moan as his tongue touched a sensitive spot, and she freed one of her hands to move to his butt. When he finally finished with her breasts, he moved his lips slowly down to her abdomen and reached for the button on her jeans. This time, it was her turn to stop him; she cupped his chin in her hand and brought his face up to meet hers. "My turn first," she told him before capturing his lips with hers as she reached down to pull off his boxers. Her finger traced lines around his abdomen, dropping only slightly lower as she teased him. He growled, and she grinned and pulled away from lips a small distance. "Not so fun on the receiving end, huh?" she asked before continuing her slow approach. When she finally reached his shaft, her finger stopped for a moment before beginning to stroke it gently. He groaned loudly and gritted his teeth to stop himself from coming too soon. Just as slowly, she knelt before him and took his shaft into her mouth, circling it with her tongue. "God, Lorelai," he groaned, bracing himself on the wall behind her. Just as he felt himself about to lose control, she removed her mouth and worked her way back up to his lips.

"Your turn," she whispered. He happily obliged, quickly stripping her of her pants. His fingers tickled her leg on its way to her underwear. Deciding to give her a taste of her own medicine, he traced it slowly before pulling it off. Because her arousal was already so strong, his finger slid easily inside her, and he began to slowly pump it in and out, still not removing his lips from hers. Soon, a second finger joined the first, and Lorelai could not suppress her loud cry. "Luke!"

"Patience," he whispered before kissing back down to her abdomen. With a final stroke, he pulled his fingers out and brought his tongue to replace them. She groaned again as she tried desperately to control herself, wondering why her body always had such a response to Luke's touch. Finally, he removed his tongue and brought his face up to hers. His brilliant blue eyes stared at her with an intensity that could only be brought on by passion, and Lorelai stared right back into those eyes. They had such comfort, such safety, such love. Seeing Luke's eyes helped to ease the pain Lorelai felt, and they served as a reminder that it was not Jason in front of her. It was Luke—her Luke—who gazed at her with his crystal blue eyes, and this thought was what finally allowed Lorelai to open up again and make love without thinking of her near rape. With their gazes still locked, he entered her slowly, filling her up completely. "A perfect fit." His thrusts were slow, purposeful, increasing the pleasure both felt. It was good because it was _right._

Lorelai's climax was like nothing she had ever felt before. It was full of love and caring and three months of suppressed emotions. It was a release of the arousal Luke had so masterfully built up. And it allowed her to forget her troubles. Luke came at the same time she did, and she felt him empty himself inside her as he let out a loud groan. As he pulled out of her, Luke finally broke eye contact. Realizing what had just happened, he cursed loudly. "Dammit! I forgot the condoms again! We should've-" Lorelai cut him off with her lips.

"What will come will come. Don't worry about it."

"But what if-"

"Then we'll deal with it. Now go get that box."

"Why?"

"Because I plan on using it tonight. A lot, in fact. So much that you might have to buy a new box tomorrow."

"I wouldn't mind that."

"And Luke? How about we try to make it to the bed this time?"

Luke groaned when the alarm rang the next morning. He had set it later than usual since he and Lorelai did not fall asleep until nearly the time when he usually awoke. Opening one eye, he glanced at the digital display. He had been asleep for only two hours. He should have just not slept at all.

As usual, Lorelai was still fast asleep. He kissed her temple, and she stirred slightly but did not open her eyes. Grinning devilishly, Luke brought his tongue to the back of her ear, and she jerked awake. "Lu-uke! Let me sleep!"

"You have to get to work. And so do I. So get up."

"Meany."

"You're just crabby because you didn't get enough sleep."

"And whose fault is that?"

"It takes two to tango. Now, come on. Up!"

Four cups of coffee later, Lorelai was still groggy. She nearly fell asleep standing up as she helped Leslie straighten the rooms, and Leslie glanced at her curiously. "You look awful. Something wrong?"

"I discovered last night that it's not smart to try to cram three month's worth of sex into one night."

"God! No wonder you're tired."

"Yeah. Every time we thought about stopping, one of us would accidentally touch the other or we'd kiss, and we'd just start all over. And we still didn't get anywhere near three month's worth. I'll probably be zombie-like for another week."

"Do you care?"

"Definitely not."

Rick had come to the diner after the lunch rush to help Luke fix his kitchen sink since Rick was a plumber. As he worked, Rick described some girl he had hooked up with at a bar, and Luke tuned him out, staring idly at the stove as his eyelids began to drop. "Luke!" Rick shouted suddenly, jarring Luke from his stupor.

"Huh?" he asked groggily.

"I've asked you to pass me a wrench four times now."

"Sorry." Luke handed him the desired tool, and he smiled slyly.

"You seem awfully tired today."

"I was up late last night. Or actually, early this morning."

"Let me guess. Something was keeping you up. Perhaps something that begins with an L and ends with an orelai?"

"Maybe."

"Luke, you're a lucky bastard, you know that? I wish I had someone who looked like Lorelai to keep me up half the night."

"More than half," Luke told him, and Rick roared with laughter.

Lorelai walked into the door just as the dinner rush was beginning to pick up and immediately began taking orders. Since Rory had grown so much more active, Luke had set up a playpen in the corner of the diner so he and Lorelai could keep an eye on her while they worked. Rory tolerated this location change very well and even put up with all the customers who exclaimed over how adorable she was. She and Luke had also grown much closer; when somebody asked if Rory was his, Luke would proudly answer in the affirmative. Luke, Lorelai, and Rory had formed a family of sorts; although it was not a family that Emily Gilmore would ever approve of, it was nevertheless a family in every way that counted.

Later that night, Lorelai was changing Rory as Luke finished closing for the night. When he entered the apartment, Luke collapsed on the couch and closed his eyes. "God, I'm tired," he said.

"Too tired to continue where we left off last night?" Lorelai asked. Luke felt a sudden rush of desire and wondered how such simple words could have such a profound effect on him.

"Maybe for a little bit," he conceded.

"I thought so." Lorelai finished changing Rory and tickled the baby's stomach. She giggled and looked up at Lorelai with her bright blue eyes. Lorelai smiled back at her and picked her up, spinning her around. As Lorelai lay Rory in her crib, Rory said something, and Lorelai looked down at her curiously. At first, Lorelai thought Rory was simply babbling babyish nonsense as she had been prone to do the past few days. However, as Lorelai listened more carefully, she realized Rory was speaking an actual word.

"Ma-ma," she said, slowly stressing the second syllable. "Ma-ma."

"Luke, come here!" Lorelai called. He rushed to her side, and a smile spread over his face as he heard Rory's new mantra.

"Da-da. Ma-ma. Da-da," she said, still struggling a bit to form the syllables.

"Looks like she knows us," Lorelai remarked, leaning back into Luke as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair.

Rory's vocabulary increased rapidly over the next couple weeks, and she was soon able to communicate quite effectively with her parents. Lorelai marveled at how she was able to pick up on things and thanked God for blessing her with an intelligent daughter. The end of June brought Lorelai's seventeenth birthday, and Luke and Lorelai left Rory with Mia to allow them some time alone. As they kissed Rory goodbye, she looked up at her parents with wide eyes. "Mama, Dada bye-bye?"

"Yes, sweets, but we'll be back," Lorelai promised.

"You'll have fun with Mia," Luke added. Rory looked from him to Lorelai to Mia for a minute as if carefully considering her options. Finally, she turned to Mia with her arms extended. Thankful that Rory easily accepter her situation, Lorelai extended her off to Mia with a final kiss and left. Once outside, Luke remarked, "I'm glad we got out of there without a tantrum."

"Yeah, me too," Lorelai agreed.

"You still sure you want to go to Sniffy's?" he asked as he opened the car door for her.

"Yes, I'm sure. You told me to pick where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner, and that's where I pick."

"Okay then, Sniffy's it is."

When they reached Sniffy's, the hostess led the couple in a secluded table in the corner. On top of the table sat a vase with a dozen red roses, and two large "Happy Birthday" balloons flanked it on either side. "The flowers are from me. The balloons, however, are Buddy and Maisy's doing," Luke explained.

"I think they're nice," Lorelai told him. He pulled out a chair for her, and she carefully sat down, attempting not to mess up the black dress she had recently purchased. She reached out and took the card form the roses. It read: "I know roses are cliché, but my mom once told me that they mean love, so I thought they were appropriate. Unfortunately, the store didn't have enough for me to sufficiently express my love, so I guess a dozen will have to do. Love, Luke." Lorelai smiled at him and leaned across the table for a rather lengthy kiss. When she finally pulled away, Luke had an expression on his face somewhere between delight and embarrassment.

"Let's save that until later," he suggested. Although Lorelai had finally convinced him to loosen up in front of the townspeople, he still refused to participate in any PDA at Sniffy's. Likely, this aversion stemmed from the fact that he looked up to Buddy and Maisy as surrogate parents. Lorelai enjoyed baiting him, for she knew he was unable to resist her.

"How much later?"

"Depends on how fast you can eat."

"Pretty fast with the right motivation."

An hour later, the two were back on the road again. Instead of turning toward Stars Hollow, Luke turned onto a small back road which he followed until it dead-ended next to a forest. Shutting off the engine, he turned to Lorelai. "Ready for a short walk? I promise you, it's worth it."

"I guess." Lorelai sighed dramatically as she slid out of the car. Luke joined her with a blanket over his left shoulder and clasped her hand tightly in his own as they set out. His arm stole around her waist while they walked, holding her tightly, and she gratefully leaned against him. It was nice being so close; she did not even notice the fifteen minute walk because she was focused so much on the warmth of their bodies and the smell of his aftershave. Eventually, Luke stopped in a small clearing, and Lorelai mimicked his actions. "We're here," he told her, taking his arm from around her waist so that he could spread out the blanket. He sat down on it and patted the spot next to him. Lorelai took a seat and lay back, using his arm as a pillow. Immediately, she noticed why Luke had brought her. Over head, stars glittered brilliantly, clearly visible since they were so far from the lights of a big city. Lorelai had never before imagined that the sky could contain so many stars, but the clear night showed that their numbers truly seemed to be infinite.

"You know, Albert Einstein once said, 'There are only two things which are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former,'" Lorelai quoted.

"The universe certainly seems infinite from here, doesn't it?" Luke agreed.

"Einstein got it wrong, though."

"Well, you can't win them all."

"There are three things that are infinite in the world."

"What's the third?"

Lorelai turned to face him. "True love."

Awhile later, they made it back to the car and quickly got in. Before Luke started the car, he turned to Lorelai with a small gift-wrapped package in his hand. "Happy Birthday, Lorelai," he told her, handing her the gift. She took it and unwrapped it slowly to find a small polished heart made from some type of precious gem Lorelai could not identify. "It was my mother's," Luke explained. "The night she was hit, the chain had broken, so I had the heart in my pocket. I've always treasured it because it was the last thing she touched."

"Luke, I couldn't-" Luke stopped her by placing a finger to her mouth.

"Take it. You have my heart now."

"But Luke-"

"No buts. I love you, Lorelai. With all my heart." He leaned over and kissed her gently.

"I love you, too," she said against his lips.

A few days later, Luke and Lorelai were in his truck on the way to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox play. Since Lorelai had given him the season passes, Luke had been to Fenway Park a few times, but he always took Rick with him. Lorelai had finally managed to convince him to let her go after promising not to make fun of any part of baseball or comment on the attractiveness of the players. As always, Lorelai had turned on the radio as soon as she entered the truck. She messed with the tuner a bit before finding a song she liked. "She was just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. Took a midnight train goin' anywhere," she sang. Luke shook his head, and she turned to him. "Come on, Luke, surely you know this song."

"Sure I do. It's 'Don't Stop Believin'' by Journey. You've only made me listen to it five hundred times now."

"But you like it! Admit it!"

"I don't like it. I've just learned to tolerate it."

"Of course, Ramses."

"You're impossible, Lorelai."

"I'm impossible? I'm not the one who doesn't know good music even when it comes up and taps me on the shoulder."

"Oh, look, we're here," Luke told her as he gratefully pulled into the sprawling parking lot outside the field. With a childlike exuberance, Lorelai climbed out of the car and bounded off toward the field with Luke following behind her. When she reached the ticket booth, Luke had to wait for Luke to show up with the tickets. After a minute or so, he finally reached her and showed the man both season passes. As they both walked toward their seats, Lorelai stared in awe at all the concessions surrounding her. When the finally walked into the stands, she glanced quickly around at the thousands of empty seats.

"Do this many people really come to the game?"

"Some games, these stands are packed. Especially when we're playing the Yankees. There's a big rivalry between the Red Sox and the Yankees."

"Are we playing the Yankees today?"

"Nope. Today, we play the St. Louis Cardinals."

"Are they any good?"

"They're not bad. I think it'll be a pretty evenly matched game."

"Okay." Lorelai started to settle down, but she saw the guy selling popcorn and immediately called him over. After Luke paid him, the man gave Lorelai a bag of popcorn, and she sat down, content.

The game began with "The Star Spangled Banner," and Lorelai sang along, remembering most of the words. As the Cardinals stepped up to bat, Lorelai began to pester Luke with questions. "So all he has to do is hit the ball and run around the bases, right?" she wondered.

"Basically."

"But that's pretty easy. Why doesn't everybody score?"

"Because a lot of people get out."

"Out?"

"It means they have to leave the field, and the next player came up to bat."

"How do people get out?"

Luke sighed. He had known when he brought Lorelai to see the game that he would not actually be seeing much of the game since he would be explaining it to her most of the time. Btu she seemed genuinely curious, so he decided to appease her curiosity. "There are a lot of ways to get out. If a batter gets three strikes, which means he doesn't hit the ball three times when he should've been able to, he's out."

"Oh! It's three strikes, you're out."

"Right. A player can also get out if he's running to a base and the person on that base from the opposing team catches the ball and tags the base before the runner gets there. Or if someone catches a pop fly."

"Pop fly?"

"It's where the ball goes straight up. If somebody can catch it before the ball hits the ground, the batter's out."

"Why's it called a pop fly?"

"I'm not really sure."

"Okay." Lorelai settled down with her head lying on Luke's shoulder, watching the game. Since she was still unsure of the rules, she simply cheered when everyone else around her did. After awhile, she began to enjoy herself, joining in with the chants of the crowd even when she had no idea what they meant. Luke watched her wearing a bemused smile, and she eventually turned to him. "What?" she asked.

"You have no idea what you're cheering for, do you?" he questioned.

"Not really, but it seemed like the right thing to do."

Luke laughed. "Only you, Lorelai."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That I love you and only you." Still smiling, Luke took her hand and tugged it, and she eagerly sat down in his lap. Her arms linked around his neck as his enclosed her waist, and they came together in a passionate kiss, both heedless of the roaring crowd surrounding them.

"Ugh! I ate too much!" Lorelai complained as they walked back to the car later that night. "Luke, I told you I shouldn't have eaten that last hot dog."

"Actually, I told _you _that," Luke reminded her. "But you insisted, and I quote, that you had a 'stomach like a cow'."

"Maybe it's less cow-like than I thought."

"Maybe next time you'll listen to me then."

"Ha!" Lorelai leaned heavily against him, and he draped his arm over her shoulder. "Don't count on it," she mumbled against him.

"Why do I put up with you?" he asked.

"Because you love me."

"Yes, I do."


	19. Chapter 19

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, August had arrived, bringing with it the first relief from the sweltering Connecticut summer. Luke and Lorelai were both still extremely busy, but they were happy. They had each other and Rory, and they found that they often did not need anything else. After enjoying her first baseball game so much, Lorelai convinced Luke to take her to four subsequent ones. After all her time at the ballpark, she had begun to understand most of the rules and usually knew why she was cheering. She had decided that baseball was not as bad as she originally thought it would be, especially with Luke.

After closing the door one night, Luke had walked into his apartment to find Lorelai and Rory playing with Rory's stuffed toys. Rory heard him open the door and turned her head. "Dada!" she squealed happily. Using a nearby chair for support, she pulled herself into a standing position. For about two weeks, she had been trying to learn how to walk, and her skin was covered in purple bruises because of her failed efforts. Still, Luke bent down a couple steps in front of her, close enough to catch her if she fell but far enough away that she would have to walk to him. With her face screwed up in concentration, Rory let go of the chair and picked her right foot up, bringing it in front of her. Luke's face broke into a wide grin as Lorelai reached for the camera, snapping a picture when Rory collapsed into Luke's arms giggling happy. "You did it, Princess!" Luke enthused, picking her up and swinging her around. "You can walk now."

After taking another picture, Lorelai joined their celebrating. "Her first steps, Luke," Lorelai told him. "This is big."

"I know." He stopped spinning her, holding her tightly against his chest as he looked at Lorelai. "She's growing up."

"Sometimes I think it's too fast."

"I understand." Rory began to squirm in Luke's arms, and he set her carefully on her feet. Lorelai crouched down a few steps away, holding out her arms.

"Come to Mommy," Lorelai said. Rory was still for a moment before beginning to toddle toward her mother. When she reached Lorelai, Rory placed her small hands in her mother's larger ones, and Lorelai smiled as she picked up her daughter. There were some moments in life that a person could never forget, and Lorelai knew that moment would definitely qualify.

Two months later, Rory's first birthday arrived. Although Luke and Lorelai had both decided to celebrate their birthdays privately, Stars Hollow's residents insisted on holding a huge party for Rory. Of course, the obvious choice of venue was Luke's Diner which he grudgingly agreed to let them use. Lorelai could be very persuasive. So at noon on the day of Rory's birthday, Ms. Patty and Babette forced Luke to leave his diner so they would have time to decorate. Luke objected, of course, but they would not listen to him, and he eventually left, fuming.

Lorelai was just finishing her shift when he reached the inn. "They kicked me out!" he shouted when he saw her, attracting the attention of many of the people in the lobby. Sensing that he was about to lose complete control of his temper, Lorelai quickly ushered him outside while smiling apologetically at the guests. Once outside, Luke began to rant. "First, Ms. Patty and Babette insist that we have the stupid party at my diner which means that I'll be up all night cleaning, and I'll probably be finding confetti for weeks to come. Now, they're making me close early so I lose valuable business. How much time do they need to decorate anyway? The party's not supposed to start for three hours! I don't even ant to think about what they could do to my diner in three hours!"

"Calm down, Luke, I'm sure Ms. Patty and Babette won't do anything irreversible, and I'll help them clean up the decorations tonight so you don't have to do anything." Lorelai placed her hand gently on his upper arm to calm him. He turned to look at her.

"You sure they'll clean up?"

"I'll make sure of it." Lorelai kissed him. "Now, go, relax, enjoy your time off."

"What are you going to do?" Lorelai shrugged, and he smirked playfully. "We could always relax together," he suggested.

"Where?" Lorelai asked. Babette and Ms. Patty have commandeered your diner, and they might. . . hear something."

"I'm sure we can find somewhere."

"When did you become so adventurous?"

"When I met you."

Suddenly, Lorelai smiled and began pulling him toward the car. "Let's just see how adventurous you've become," she said with a smile.

An hour later, Lorelai and Luke lay tangled in the back seat of the car. Lorelai had driven to a deserted stretch of road and pulled into a small clearing bordered on two sides by trees. Although Luke had been nervous at first, expecting to be interrupted at any second, he had quickly given in to Lorelai's caresses, and his inhibitions had disappeared. Actually, he enjoyed himself, finding excitement in the fact that he could be caught. He never would have imagined enjoying the experience, but the time he spent with Lorelai had introduced him to a new side of himself he had never known existed. "I've always wanted to have sex in the back of a car," Lorelai said once she partially regained her breath.

"Mmh." Luke was too busy kissing her neck to respond with words.

"There's still two hours left before the party," Lorelai remarked. In response, Luke flipped her so that her back was against the seat and straddled the body.

They finally made it back to the inn forty-five minutes before the party was scheduled to begin. While Lorelai went to pick up Rory from Mia's office, Luke left to ensure that Patty and Babette had not destroyed his diner. He walked in to find his diner was completely transformed; he had to remind himself that the changes were not permanent. Pink streamers hung from the ceiling and framed the windows, and a large "Happy Birthday" banner adorned the wall behind the counter. Pink tablecloths covered all the tables, and confetti was scattered everywhere. Luke glared disapprovingly at the tiny, shining pieces on the floor, wondering how much work he would have to do to clean them all up. His diner would likely sparkle for weeks to come. He sighed, wondering what he would not do for his girls.

"Oh, good, Luke, you're here!" Ms. Patty called, spotting him. He groaned quietly. "Where have you been?"

"Nowhere," he answered evasively.

"Really?" Ms. Patty raised her eyebrows and regarded him carefully. Luke had the uneasy feeling that she could sense where he had been and what he had been doing. All she said, however, was, "We need someone to help move a couple tables." Grudgingly, Luke followed her.

When Lorelai arrived with Rory half an hour later, they were greeted at the door by everyone in the town. Some people threw confetti, and Luke bit back his complaints as he watched another three hours of cleaning float to the ground. Lorelai spotted him and walked over, planting a kiss firmly on his lips. Luke's ears crimsoned slightly when he realized the eyes of most of the town were on him, but he recovered quickly and took Rory from Lorelai. "Dada, look!" Rory commanded, pointing to the decorations.

"I see, sweetheart," he told her.

"It looks nice," Lorelai added.

Luke shrugged. "Depends on your definition of nice."

"You just don't like the decorations because they're pink."

"Well, that's one reason."

"Come on, Luke, it's just for a couple hours. Then your precious diner will go back to normal. At least try to enjoy yourself."

"There are other ways I'd rather be enjoying myself," he told her with a suggestive smile. She looked at him in mock shock.

"You are insatiable, Luke Danes."

"I learned from the best."

"Yes, you did." Lorelai smiled broadly. "How about we make this party all about Rory now, and I'll give you your present later?"

"I look forward to it." Their conversation was interrupted by Ms. Patty who called Luke over so that she could see Rory. He turned to Lorelai with a pained expression, and she slapped him lightly on the arm.

"Be nice or else."

"Or else what?"

"Oh. I think you know your punishment." Lorelai raised her eyebrows suggestively, and Luke groaned, turning to talk to Ms. Patty.

Rory greatly enjoyed her party, especially her chocolate birthday cake which was soon smeared all over her face. She finally seemed to be catching on to the concept of opening presents and excitedly ripped the paper off her gifts with only minimal help form Lorelai, much to the amusement of the townspeople. "She's going to be spoiled rotten," Luke remarked, eying the huge stack of gifts which Rory had received.

"I prefer to think she'll just be well loved," Lorelai said.

"Does she really need this much stuff?"

"She has an attention span of two seconds and grows like a weed. I think she's going to need al the toys and clothes she can get."

"If you say so."

The party finally began winding down nearly four hours after it started. As the guests began to leave, Lorelai handed Rory to Luke. "You can take her upstairs while I clean up. I'll be up when we're finished." She kissed him sweetly, and he felt his groin tighten.

"I'll be waiting," he promised. As he left, Lorelai turned to begin taking down streamers.

It took over an hour to clean the diner, even with the help of a couple townspeople. When Lorelai finally finished, her feet were throbbing. After turning off the lights and locking up, she trudge upstairs and collapsed on the couch. "My feet are killing me," she complained loudly. Luke looked over at her from the corner by Rory's crib. He had just finished putting her to sleep, and he smiled broadly at his girlfriend.

"Well, we can't have that now can we?" He joined her on the couch, lifting her feet to place them in his lap. Slowly, he removed her shoes and let them fall to the floor. His fingers began to massage her feet gently, and Lorelai relaxed with his touch. She always felt so safe and loved when he was around, even when he was doing something as simple as giving her a foot massage. She moaned in pleasure, and his smile grew larger as his fingers kneaded deeper. Lorelai was struck by the intimacy of the moment. With Chris, intimacy had entailed sex, but with Luke, Lorelai could find intimacy in some of the most everyday situations.

Luke saw Lorelai relaxing and continued his ministrations. He loved seeing her so calm and peaceful. Just being around her made his heart beat wildly, and he still marveled at her beauty despite the amount of time he had known her. She seemed to grow more stunning by the day, and Luke wondered for the hundredth time what he had done to deserve her. She and Rory gave his life meaning and purpose, and he did not know how he could live without them. "Hey Luke?" Lorelai asked.

"Hmm?" He looked at her face which had a tranquil expression.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

The following week brought the anniversary of William's death. Luke had closed the diner for the day, and Lorelai had taken off work to be with him. They visited the grave early that morning, and Luke placed the flowers he had bought next to it, trying desperately not to cry. He was strong; he could make it through the day. As if reading his thoughts, Lorelai reached out and grabbed his hand, reminding him that he was not alone. He looked at her, and she whispered, "It's okay to cry. Neither Rory nor I will think any less of you." With those words, the dam broke, and tears flooded down Luke's face. He leaned closer to Lorelai, gathering strength from her as she had so often gathered it from him. Wrapping her arms tightly around him, Lorelai held him close until his sobs subsided.

When they reached the apartment, Luke began to rummage through the closet. "What are you doing?" Lorelai asked.

""I want to show you something," he told her, tugging a box out from underneath a pile of junk. Curious, Lorelai took a seat on the couch, holding Rory in her lap. Luke carried the box over and set it on the coffee table in front of her before opening it to reveal numerous photo albums. "My dad loved photography," Luke explained, pulling out the top photo album. He opened it to reveal a couple pictures of a pretty blond woman holding a baby. Her sparkling blue eyes gave her identity away immediately; they were so like Luke's own that it was uncanny. "I was born a month early," Luke explained. "Just like Rory."

"I've heard that's pretty common with firstborns."

"Maybe. But I was not as lucky as Rory. I almost didn't make it; in fact, the doctors originally told my parents to plan for the worst."

"Fortunately, the doctors were wrong."

"Yeah, but that's why there's no early pictures of me. Evidentially, I was surrounded by tubes for the first month of my life, and my dad didn't want to remember me like that." Luke flipped the page to show more baby pictures, pausing to allow Lorelai to comment on a couple of them. As he continued slowly flipping, Lorelai watched Luke grow from a tiny baby to an average-sized toddler with a mop of brown hair. Pictures of Liz soon accompanied his pictures, and Lorelai smiled at one that pictured the two of them playing in a small kiddie pool. "It's hard to imagine you this little," she remarked.

"Trust me, I was."

"I'd like to show you some of my baby pictures, but I unfortunately don't have any."

"That's okay. We have a living representation right here in front of us."Luke nodded to Rory who was sucking her thumb contentedly.

"I guess we do." They were silent for a few moments before Luke spoke.

"You know, I just realized something."

"What's that?"

"I thought I was losing my entire family when my dad died. But I didn't. My family's right here." He leaned over to kiss Lorelai, parting her lips with his tongue. Before they could go too far, Rory decided to remind them of her presence.

"Mama, Dada, play!" she commanded, beginning to squirm.

"Yes, ma'am," Lorelai said, chuckling as she sat on the floor with the baby.

As Thanksgiving drew closer, Luke seemed to grow more nervous and jumpy. Lorelai found him in his stock room doing inventory one day, and she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind in greeting. He shot out of her embrace as soon as he felt her arms around him, turning to face her warily. "Easy, boy," Lorelai joked. "It's just me. Actually, you should've known that when I wrapped my arms around you. Unless someone else greets you like that in which case we need to talk."

Luke laughed nervously. "Don't worry. You're the only one who greets me like that. Just like I'm the only one who can greet you like this." His lips found hers as his hands went to her hips, pulling her close. She tangled her own hands in his hair, enjoying the privacy of the stock room. Slowly, Luke's hands moved upwards, caressing the smooth skin beneath her shirt. His lips moved off of hers.

"I think this is about to become unsanitary," Lorelai commented.

"Yeah." Luke pulled away reluctantly and gave her one final, chaste kiss. "Give me five more minutes to finish up her, and then I'll be over to take your order."

"Yes, sir." As Lorelai left, Luke reached his hand into his pocket and fingered the small velvet box there. He had found it in a jewelry store after only a couple hours of looking and knew immediately that it was perfect for Lorelai. It was a princess cut ring with a mid-sized diamond that was large enough to impress but not so large that it appeared ostentatious. Luke had used a chunk of his savings to pay for it, but it was worth the money if he could make Lorelai his wife. Of course, he still had to work up the courage to ask her. He was waiting for the perfect opportunity.

"So, are we celebrating Thanksgiving together again this year?" Lorelai asked when Luke came over to take her order.

"I figured we would. I'll close the diner around 4:00 so we can have our own dinner about 6:00. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect." Luke smiled as Lorelai said this. Perfect? Yeah, it just might be.

As Luke cooked for his customers on Thanksgiving, he simultaneously prepared his and Lorelai's meal for later. He had purposely selected all of her favorite foods, hoping he could make the night special. He had turkey, mashed potato stuffing with gravy, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, and sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows. Normally, he would complain about the inordinate number of carbs they were consuming, but he decided splurging once would not hurt him.

At 11:00 exactly, he forced Kirk, who was his last customer, to leave and flipped the sign on the door to closed. He quickly showered and dressed in slacks and a new white button down he had bought for the occasion. He shaved and applied cologne, insuring that he looked his best. Slipping the ring box into his pocket, he left the bathroom to begin setting the table. He filled a vase he had picked up at a thrift store with water and put the flowers he had bought the previous day in it before carrying it to the table. When he set it down, a large puddle began to form under the vase, spreading rapidly outward. Luke frowned and picked up vase again. Sure enough, water was seeping from a crack in the bottom. With a grunt of frustration, Luke dumped the remaining water from the vase and threw it in the trash can before beginning to search for something else to put the flowers in. He finally settled on a large salad bowl; although it did not look as nice, it was at least something.

Luke walked to the refrigerator and pulled out the large bowl of cranberry sauce he had made earlier that morning. As he took a step back to close the door, his foot sipped on some of the water from the vase, and he fell on his back. The cranberry sauce landed on top of him, covering his face and his new white shirt. "Dammit!" he cursed, carefully sitting up and salvaging all that he could of the sauce. He set the bowl on the counter, still cursing under his breath, and began to unbutton his shirt to change it. Just then, he heard a knock at his back door and walked downstairs to answer it. Lorelai stood on the doorstep, pushing Rory's stroller with one hand and holding the diaper bag in the other. "Sorry, I forgot my key."

"You're home early. I thought you were going to be at Leslie's longer."

"Well, I was anxious to see you and so was Rory. Is that blood?" Lorelai looked at the red sauce coving his face and torso.

"No. I had a bit of a mishap with the cranberry sauce."

"Really?" Lorelai leaned toward him, smiling mischievously. "That seems awful." She brought her lips to his, using her tongue to lick the cranberry sauce surrounding his lips. Luke felt his heart begin to beat faster as she moved her lips and tongue away from his mouth to remove the rest of the cranberry sauce. After a few minutes, she pulled away. "I always liked your cranberry sauce." His smile matched hers as he motioned her inside and led her upstairs. While he changed shirts, Rory began to cry, and Lorelai placed Rory on the changing table before unfastening her diaper. Luke came out of the room just as she was removing the soiled diaper.

"You can throw that in the kitchen trash can," he told her. "I'm going to take it out in a minute."

"Okay." Lorelai finished changing Rory and picked her up as Luke pulled the full trash bag from the kitchen can. As he carried the bag, Luke heard something ripping and suddenly found himself surrounded by the contents of the bag. To make matters worse, the vase which he had thrown away earlier broke into dozens of pieces, one of which lodged itself in the sole of his foot. Luke howled in pain as the glass pierced his skin, and Lorelai immediately became concerned. Placing Rory in the playpen, Lorelai walked over to the kitchen chair into which Luke had collapsed and picked up his foot to determine the damage. She immediately found the small piece of glass causing all the problems and carefully reached out to touch it.

"It's not that bad," Luke lied, but his wince as she touched the cut betrayed him.

"WE need to get that glass out. Where are the tweezers?"

"Top left hand drawer of the bathroom," Luke told her. She carefully rested his foot on a nearby chair and left to find the tweezers. When she came back, she had difficulty finding the cut because the entire bottom of his foot was covered in blood. She wet a couple paper towels and used them to clean his foot before carefully removing the glass. Luke bit his lip as she pulled out the glass to keep from screaming in pain. After the glass was out, Lorelai stood up and left to find bandages. Glancing at the clock, Luke realized that he was supposed to have checked on the turkey twenty minutes before. "Dammit!" he shouted again as he rose to his feet and hobbled down the stairs, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Opening the oven door, he found that the turkey had burned slightly on the bottom. "Shit!" he cursed again, grabbing a pot holder and pulling it out of the oven quickly.

"What's wrong?" Lorelai inquired from behind him.

"Everything!" Luke exclaimed vehemently. "The vase was broken, I spilled craberry sauce on my new shirt, I cut my foot, and now the turkey's burnt. Today was supposed to be perfect."

"It's just a meal. It doesn't have to be perfect."

"No, it's not just a meal. It was supposed to be the meal where I propose to you. It was supposed to be special. No it's all ruined, and you'll never say yes-"

"Yes," Lorelai interrupted.

"What?"

"Yes. I'll marry you."

"But I never asked."

"Then ask."

Taking a deep breath, Luke lowered himself to one knee. "Lorelai Gilmore, will you-"

"Yes."

"Will you let me finish a sentence?" he teased.

"Sorry."

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes." As Lorelai said this, Luke stood and took her in his arms, heedless of his throbbing foot. He planted his lips firmly on hers, and the burnt turkey was soon forgotten. When they finally broke apart, Luke took Lorelai's hand in his and carefully slipped the ring onto her finger.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"So is its owner."

"Would you like some crackers to go with all that cheese?"

"You set me up. And it's true."

Lorelai laughed. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Leaning in, Luke captured her lips with his once more.


	20. Chapter 20

Later that night, Lorelai and Luke were relaxed on the couch watching _The Abyss,_ a science fiction movie Lorelai had rented to tease Luke about is Star Trek phase (she had found a _Star Trek_ t-shirt in his closet the previous week and found the fact that he was a "Trekkie" hilarious). The movie turned out to be better than she had expected, and she genuinely enjoyed the few scenes she did watch. Lorelai's head lay in his lap, and she absent-mindedly turned the ring around her finger. Luke watched her with a smile as his fingers combed through her hair. "Are you actually watching the movie?" Lorelai asked.

"I've seen it," he said dismissively.

"So do they get back together in the end?"

"Of course. It's a movie."

"I like to think they're meant to be together."

"Hopeless romantic."

"I'm a girl. I'm supposed to be."

"And I guess that means I should only watch movies with a lot of blood and guts,"

"Of course." He shook his head a he leaned down to kiss her. Rory began to cry, and Lorelai stood up to take care of her, pausing the movie.

"What happened to not pausing the movie because it interrupts the flow?"

"This is an exception to that rule."

It did not take long for the nosy townspeople to discover the ring the next morning. Ms. Patty was the first to notice the glittering diamond, and her squeal of excitement directed the attention of the other townspeople to Lorelai. Luke slipped away quickly to avoid the stream of questions he knew was imminent. Lorelai, unfortunately, had no chance to escape and was immediately accosted by most of the diner's customers, all of whom were asking dozens of questions. "How did he propose?" Miss Patty wondered.

"When's the wedding?" Kirk asked.

"How good was the post proposal sex?" Babette inquired.

"Where's the wedding?"

"Are we invited?"

"How much did that ring cost?"

As Lorelai answered some of the questions, Luke listened from the kitchen. HE was happy to note that Lorelai did not answer some of the more personal questions (which included virtually all of Babette's). Hearing the phone ring in his apartment, Luke reluctantly stopped eavesdropping and strode quickly upstairs.

Lorelai was still answering questions when she saw Luke emerge from their apartment, wearing a worried expression. Immediately, she became concerned and extracted herself from the mob of nosy neighbors. Reaching his side, she gently touched his arm to catch his attention. "What's wrong?" she questioned.

"Can I talk to you upstairs for a minute?" he asked.

"Sure," Lorelai agreed apprehensively. Thousands of different thoughts about what he wanted to talk about ran through her head, each one worse than the last. Maybe he was calling off the wedding. Maybe someone she knew was sick or dying. Maybe _he_ was sick or dying. Maybe. . .

When they reached the apartment, Luke turned to her with his face still etched with worry. "That was my sister, Liz," he explained. "Evidently Jimmy," Luke grimaced as he said the name, "left her and Jess and took off. They're about to be kicked out of their apartment, and she needs my help. I know this isn't the best timing with the wedding and all, but Liz is family and. . ."

Lorelai stopped his mouth from moving with her lips. "Go. I'll take care of everything here."

"You're the best, Lorelai."

"Remember that."

"It's impossible to forget."

After Luke finished cooking the orders for the breakfast crowd, Lorelai waited on the customers while he packed. He emerged from the apartment with a single suitcase and Rory in one arm around 9:30. Lorelai looked up from the counter where she was counting receipts. "Ready already?" she asked.

"Unlike you, I don't need four hours to pack," he teased. Walking closer, he wrapped his free arm around her, and she lay her head comfortably against his shoulder. "I'm going to miss you," he told her.

"Not as much as I'll miss you," she countered, raising her head so that he could press his lips to hers. Luke allowed the kiss to become more passionate than he usually did in public, knowing it could be the last kiss for several days. Feeling the utter contentment of having his lips on hers, he wanted nothing more than to remain beside her. Unfortunately, his sense of duty insisted that he help his sister. Pulling slowly away, he rested his forehead on Lorelai's. "We could continue this upstairs where it's a bit more private," Lorelai suggested.

"There's a diner full of customers," Luke pointed out.

"So?" Lorelai discretely circled her hand to the front of his body, resting it briefly on his abdomen before sliding it lower.

"Customers, Lorelai," he growled, feeling the eyes of most of the people in the diner on them. In response, she squeezed him gently, and he bit his lip to suppress a loud groan. "Cus-to-mers," he said through gritted teeth. Lorelai kissed him again without removing her hand from its sensitive position. When she pulled back, Luke muttered, "I'm really tempted to rip your clothes off right here and now."

"Then do it." Lorelai kissed him again.

"Lorelai, please," he groaned.

"Luke, please," she mimicked, grabbing his shirt and pulling him toward the stairs.

"Rory," he reminded her.

"Babette, would you mind taking Rory for a bit?" Lorelai asked without removing her lips very far from Luke's.

"Of course, Sugah." Babette smiled knowingly and took the baby from Luke. Lorelai drug him, half-stumbling, up the stairs to the apartment where the kisses soon became heated.

"I feel like the whole town is listening," Luke remarked as he struggled to unbutton his flannel.

"They probably are," Lorelai told him breathlessly. Her fingers joined his on the buttons, and he soon discarded the offending garment. "Do you care?"

Feeling her lips on his neck, he moaned loudly. "Not at all," he admitted as he began to work on the blouse she wore.

Their clothes were wrinkled and their hair mussed when they reentered the diner. As Lorelai took Rory back from Babette, the well-meaning gossip shook her head. "You two are quite loud, Sugah," she remarked. A loud thump indicated that Luke had dropped his suitcase. Lorelai gave him a coy smile, and his face crimsoned.

"Uh. . . I better get going," he said. "Bye, Lorelai. Bye, Rory." He gave Lorelai a chaste kiss on the lips and kissed Rory's forehead before quickly exiting the diner. Whistling off-key, Lorelai went back to work serving customers.

Later that night, Lorelai was lounging on the couch with Rory. Although the television was on, the volume was low, and Lorelai was not paying attention to the program. Instead, she was attempting to teach Rory her alphabet to give the young girl a head start on her education. The phone rang, and Lorelai reached over to pick it up. "Hello?"

"You don't know how good it is to hear your voice," Luke remarked on the other end.

"The feeling's mutual. How's it going up there?"

"Not too great. Liz got herself in a huge mess. Again. I'll probably be up here at least a week."

"What will I ever do without you?" Lorelai questioned with a false Southern accent.

"Starve, probably," Luke joked.

"Ha, ha. I'll have you know, I ate very well tonight."

"I told you not to flirt with that new chef at the inn."

"He's fifty, Luke. Trust me, I'm not interested."

"Does he know that?"

"Of course not! If I tell him, I'll starve."

"Tell me again why I put up with you."

"Because you love me."

"Right. That."

"Hey, Luke, I was thinking. What about April 16?"

"For what?"

"Our wedding, duh! I've always wanted a spring wedding, and this date just kinda jumped out at me."

"Okay. Whatever you want is fine with me."

"Really? Then I want dancing midgets, fake falling snow, a twenty-piece orchestra-"

"Within reason," Luke amended.

"Funsucker!"

"I'd like to have some money left after the wedding."

"If you insist." They were silent for a few seconds before Lorelai spoke again. "Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"All I really want is you there beside me."

"That's one thing I'll wholeheartedly agree with."

"I love you."

"I love you, too. And I miss you."

"I miss you, too. See you soon?"

"I hope so. Bye."

"Bye."

Ten days passed before Luke finally returned to Stars Hollow. Every night, Luke and Lorelai would talk for at least an hour, each happy to simply hear the other's voice. Rory even talked to Luke a few times, and her voice reminded him of everything he had waiting for him at home. He had a gorgeous fiancée and a beautiful daughter—for Luke now considered Rory his daughter. At the end of a particularly grueling day of work, Lorelai was happy to hear from Luke, for despite his often gruff attitude, he was always able to make her day brighter. When the phone rang Thursday night, Lorelai knew immediately who it was. "Hi, sexy," she greeted, settling back onto the couch for a long conversation.

"Do you always answer the phone like that?" Luke asked.

"Only when I know it's you."

"How do you know?"

"Woman's intuition."

"What if it's wrong?"

"It's only happened once. Which reminds me, the cable guy things he's a sexy beast. Try not to ruin his delusions."

"Because that would be the last thing I want to do," he remarked sarcastically. "I can't ruin our cable guy's self-esteem."

"How nice of you," Lorelai said, echoing his sarcasm.

"I try. So, how are things around there?"

"Not bad. Rory still asks about you every night, and you have a lot of disappointed customers including your fiancée. I'd take one of your hamburgers over the fancy food they cook at the inn any day."

"I told you to stop flirting wit that chef."

"Would you rather I starve?"

"Just don't forget about your fiancée."

"What fiancée?"

"Funny."

"Don't worry. It's hard to forget about you with this huge rock on my finger. Are you sure you didn't sell a kidney? Because that's the only way you could have paid for this."

"Trust me, I still have all my vital organs."

"That's good to know. So, you're coming home tomorrow, right?" Lorelai asked, praying for his confirmation.

"Nothing could keep me away."

"What about a category four hurricane?"

"I'll go around it."

"What about my mother? She's worse than a hurricane.

"I'm coming home."

"Music to my ears."

"I take it that you miss me then."

"Actually, the cable guy's been keeping me company. He really is a sexy beast one you get used to his fat rolls."

"That just conjured up disturbing images I'd rather not picture."

"The guy weighs like, 300 pounds, and he has a huge beer belly and multiple chins and-"

"Lorelai, I did not call to talk about the cable guy."

"Really? Then what did you plan to talk about?"

"Anything but that."

"How about I talk dirty to you. Maybe you won't miss me as much."

"Are you sure? Because I'm not sure if I can wait." Lorelai lowered her voice seductively. "Luke Danes, I want to make love to you right now."

Without warning, arousal shot through his body like a dart. His pants suddenly felt too tight. "Goddammit, Lorelai," he groaned.

"What?" she asked innocently, knowing full well what the cause of his discomfort was, for she was feeling a similar arousal. She missed him terribly; it seemed like a part of her was missing. They shared an unfathomable connection which made separation virtually unbearable.

"You know full well what," he muttered irritably.

"I'd recommend a cold shower."

"I guess I'll have to take one. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Barring any natural disasters."

"I told you, I'd go around them."

"You really do love me!"

"Of course I do."

"I love you, too. And Luke? Try picturing me naked." With that, she hung up, leaving Luke with an even larger problem than the one he had before.

Lorelai had just finished putting Rory down the following night when she heard the door open behind her. Turning, she ran and threw herself into her fiancé's arms, eagerly pressing her lips to his. After a couple minutes of passionate tongue dueling, Luke pulled away. "I ran into a bit of a problem," Luke began cautiously.

"Uh-oh," Lorelai said.

"It's not that bad. I just couldn't find an apartment for Liz and Jess. But she needed someplace to stay, so. . ." Lorelai knew where he was going, and she peeked around his body to see Liz standing in the doorway holding a bundle Lorelai assumed was Jess.

"Hello again," Liz greeted, smiling a bit sheepishly. Lorelai returned the smile before looking back at Luke.

"I thought we'd move Rory in the room with us and let Liz and Jess sleep out here. Liz can have the couch, and I've got a crib for Jess in the car.

"So Rory will be in our room?" Lorelai wondered.

"Only temporarily," Luke assured her. His eyes showed he shared her concerns.

"Okay," Lorelai agreed, a bit reluctantly. But Liz was her soon to be sister-in-law, and Lorelai, like Luke, could not turn down family (or almost family). "Come on Liz, let's get settled in."

The next few days crawled by for Luke and Lorelai. Although Liz was supposed to be finding a job and a new apartment in New York, it seemed to Lorelai that she had done little to achieve either of these goals. Although spunky and enthusiastic about most things in life, Liz seemed to have virtually no concerns over whether or not she could support herself and her son. She still clung to the naïve belief that everything would simply fall into place with no effort.

The additional occupant of Luke and Lorelai's room forced them into celibacy and postponed Lorelai's extensive plans for the reunion. Their nightly ritual had become a simple, chaste kiss, for both feared that anything more would push them past the point of no return. Of course, tension built up as each attempted to control his or her own emotions. Around Luke, Lorelai often felt as if she was five again and standing in front of her mother's exquisite porcelain doll collection. She could look but not touch.

One night nearly two weeks after Liz had come to stay, all three teenagers were up late watching a movie. Rory and Jess were already asleep, and Liz was sprawled across the couch, leaving only the armchair for Luke and Lorelai. Of course, neither one minded the seating arrangements; Lorelai snuggled into Luke's lap and pulled a blanket over the two of them. She squirmed, trying to get comfortable, and he let out an exasperated sigh. "Lorelai, would you please be still?" he asked. Her squirming stopped for a few seconds before she moved once more. "Lorelai!"

"Sorry. Last time. I promise." She settled against him and discovered the reason for his frustration. The tip of his growing erection pressed into her lower back, and she moved slowly against it. A low, involuntary growl escaped his lips, but Liz was too engrossed in the movie to notice what was going on around her. Encouraged, Lorelai continued. She dropped her hands behind her and found the button for his jeans. After fumbling with it for a minute, she managed to open it and unzip his jeans slightly, giving her enough room to slip her hands inside his boxers. Moving them slowly downward, she tickled the sensitive skin around his groin, and he was soon the one squirming. After more than five minutes of teasing, Lorelai finally allowed her fingers to brush against his erection, and she heard him gasp behind her. Pleased with his reaction, she pressed her fingers against him with more force and began to slowly circle the base of his shaft. With all the willpower he could muster, Luke managed to whisper a single word. "Liz."

"She's not paying attention," Lorelai told him, stroking him gently. He bit his lip to suppress a groan, but he was unable to control it. When Liz did not look over, Luke began to feel more comfortable. It had been too long since they were intimate; though they were not exactly making love, it was the closest they had come to doing so in over three weeks. Luke felt his arousal building, and he knew he would come before long. The emotions coursing through his blood were too strong for him not to. Burying his face in Lorelai's shoulder to muffle his moan of pleasure, Luke let go. His climax was explosive, releasing three weeks of sexual frustration. Keeping his head buried to prevent himself from screaming, he allowed his breathing to steady before looking up.

"That was amazing," he whispered, kissing the back of Lorelai's ear.

"I thought you might enjoy it."

"Your turn now," Luke told her, feeling particularly adventurous. His lips moved from behind her ear to her neck as his hands, which currently rested on her waist, moved upwards. Once he reached her bra, he played with it for a moment, baiting her, before pushing it away. Now uninhibited, his hands were free to roam her entire upper body. He played with each breast for a few minutes, and her nipples hardened. Finally, he moved his hands lower, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin beneath his fingers. After tracing her abdomen slowly, he dropped his hand beneath the waistband of her pajama pants. Moving it to her inner thigh, he tickled the sensitive skin there, and she moaned rather loudly. Immediately, Luke's hand stopped moving and both looked at Liz who had finally averted her gaze from the television and was staring at them.

"What was that?" she asked.

"The chair," Lorelai lied quickly. "It makes weird noises if you move in the wrong way." Liz looked as if she did not believe Lorelai, but after watching them for a few seconds, she turned her attention back to the tv.

"You're going to have to be quieter," he admonished.

"Unlike you, I don't have a shoulder to bury my face into," Lorelai told him.

"Turn," Luke said, bringing his hands to her waist.

"I didn't want you to stop."

"I'm not. Just turn." Lorelai did as he asked, turning sideways in his lap. He brought his lips to hers hungrily, enjoying the feeling of having her close. His tongue touched her lips, and they parted to give him access. At the same time, his hands pulled the waistband of her pants lower.

Lorelai pulled back and muttered, "I think your sister is going to notice us making out."

"Right now, I don't really care," Luke said, his voice low and full of desire. "Now hush. This is supposed to keep you quiet."

"Yes, sir." Their lips reconnected, and Luke pushed her pants down further so that the waistband rested at her mid-thigh. Since the blanket still covered them, if Liz looked over, she would likely see nothing except for them making out. Once more, Luke brought his fingers to her thigh; this time, his lips softened her moan so that it was barely audible. Satisfied, he tickled her inner thigh gently, allowing his fingers to slowly approach her underwear. Already, he could feel the heat of her arousal, and he felt an unexpected rush of desire. Feeling his erection beneath her, Lorelai smiled against his lips. "Ready again so soon?" she asked. He responded by using his left arm, which still rested around her waist, to pull her closer. His right hand had finally reached her underwear, and he slipped it beneath the garment, still tickling her skin gently. When he finally reached her throbbing sex, he inserted his finger slightly, toying with her. Her groan was muffled against his lips as she thrust her hips out, begging for more. Still, Luke left his finger where it was, feeling her frustration grow. Pulling her lips from his, she whispered forcefully, "For the love of God, Luke!" Slowly, he moved his finger farther inside, and she bucked against him again. For five minutes, he continued his agonizingly slow pace, pausing briefly once his finger was fully inside her before removing it again.

Lorelai felt her desire building like flood waters behind a dam. When he pulled his finger completely out of her, she felt empty, as if a piece of her was missing. She reached down and grabbed his wrist, encouraging him to continue, but he smiled wickedly and started to move his hand back to her thigh. "Lucas Patrick Danes, you better finish what you started," Lorelai scolded. Still wearing a smile which was completely out of character for him, he quickly moved his hand back and plunged his finger deep inside her. Luckily, he had covered her mouth with his at the same time, and he swallowed her scream. He began to pump his finger in and out, quickening his pace with ever stroke. A second finger soon joined the first followed quickly by a third. By this time, Lorelai knew she had reached the point of no return, and she was simply waiting for the dam to break. Sure enough, after a couple more strokes, she toppled over the edge. She thrust hard against his fingers as the waves of pleasure washed over her. He pressed is lips more tightly against hers, quieting her scream. Eventually, she relaxed against him, and he slowly extracted his fingers and helped her to wriggle back into her pants. With a final kiss, he pulled his lips away from hers, and she rested her forehead on his. "That was fun," she whispered. He burst out laughing, and Liz shot them a look. Quieting down a bit, he whispered back. "How much longer is this movie?" Lorelai glanced over her shoulder at the screen.

"I'd say about half an hour."

"Feel like some fresh air?"

"Sure. Come on." Lorelai stood up, and he followed her into the bedroom to grab his coats. "You might want to change," she suggested, glancing at the wet spot on his jeans.

"Right," Luke said, grabbing a new pair of jeans from a nearby drawer. They both cleaned up somewhat before leaving. Luke pulled on his heavy jacket and took Lorelai's hand. "We're going for a walk, Liz," he said, walking into the living room. "Rory and Jess are both asleep. Just listen for them."

"Okay," Liz agreed, still engrossed in the movie. Shaking his head, Luke led the way out of the apartment and onto the street. Since it was early December, the temperature outside was already below freezing, and a sparse amount of snow covered the ground. Even through her thick down jacket, Lorelai could feel the cold, biting wind, and she leaned closer to Luke for warmth. With no real destination in mind, they turned toward the center of town and began walking.

"So I started making a list of some things we need to do for the wedding," Lorelai said.

"Yeah, the wedding," Luke muttered.

"Try to contain your excitement," Lorelai remarked sarcastically, suddenly worried that he might not want to marry her anymore.

"I am excited, trust me," he assured her. "But I just don't know if April is going to work. I mean, the diner's still only a year old and it can still fail in the blink of an eye. And now Liz is having problems, and I just have a lot on my plate right no. April 14 just seems too close."

"It's four months away."

"But we haven't even started planning!"

"We could always. . . postpone the wedding," Lorelai suggested reluctantly. She already had her heart set on April 14, but she knew love was about compromising.

"Really?"

"Sure, if that would make it easier for you."

"It would be much easier! Thanks! You're the best." As he kissed her, Lorelai could not help but feel a little forlorn.

Liz still had not found a job by the following week. Luke was trying to help, but few people wanted to hire a seventeen-year-old high school dropout. Because it was nearing the holidays, the inn was especially busy, and Lorelai worked long hours to help Mia out. Since Luke also had his diner to run, the two rarely saw each other; when they did, the tension in the room was palpable, and a number of small, meaningless fights broke out. Both needed a way to release their pent-up sexual frustration, but it seemed they would have no way of doing this in the foreseeable future. They had tried once, but Kirk had wandered into the storage room to find Lorelai half-naked, Luke refused to come anywhere near her to ensure that the temptation would not be present.

One evening, Liz had gone out with a couple of her old friends from high school, leaving Jess with Luke and Lorelai. Luke was changing him while Lorelai rocked Rory to sleep. Luke soon joined her, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, each cradling a baby. When Rory was asleep, Lorelai left to put her in her crib and came back to find that Luke had also put Jess in his crib. Luke looked up at Lorelai when she returned before glancing back at Jess. "I was thinking about our wedding," he said without looking up. It took Lorelai a moment to realize that he was not talking to her.

"What about it?" she asked apprehensively.

"Why don't we wait until the end of next year. By then, the diner will be less crazy, Liz will hopefully be back on her feet, and Rory will be two."

"What if I don't want to wait until next year?"

Luke finally looked up at her. "You do want to get married, don't you?"

"Of course I do. But I want to get married soon. That's why I wanted to have the wedding in April. I don't want to wait a year."

"Why can't we? Things will have settled down by then, and we can devote more time to planning."

"I don't give a damn how much time we spend planning, Luke! Don't you get that? I just want to marry you, and I want it to be sooner rather than later!"

"What about what I want?" Luke's voice was steadily growing louder; Lorelai was surprised that neither Rory nor Jess had awakened yet.

"How about we don't plan at all? Then you wouldn't have to worry about your precious time!"

"What are you saying?"

"Let's elope!"

"What?"

"Let's elope. Right now. If you really want to marry me, you'll say yes." The room was silent for a few seconds, and Lorelai's heart sunk. She had thought she had found the perfect solution to their problem. Maybe Luke really did not want to marry her. "Fine. If that's what you want," she said, turning slowly around. She could no longer stand being in the same apartment with him; she would take Rory and go to the inn. Maybe Mia would let her stay in the potting shed again.

As Lorelai took a step forward, a voice behind her stopped her. "Wait!" Luke called.

"What?" Lorelai questioned irritably, refusing to turn and face him. Stepping up behind her, Luke grasped her shoulders and spun her around before bending his head to give her a passionate kiss. When they finally broke apart, he said, "But we should wait until Saturday to get married. We can leave tomorrow and drive anywhere you want."

"What is it with you and waiting?"

"Nothing. But Saturday is December 18."

"So?"

"So, what happened last year on December 18?"

Suddenly, Lorelai caught on. "Our first date."

"Exactly."

"Softy," Lorelai teased.

"I'll deny it if you tell anyone else."

"I wouldn't do that."

"Yes, you would."

"Okay, maybe I would. But not many people."

"I love you, Crazy Lady."

"I love you."

The next afternoon, Lorelai was rushing around the apartment finishing her last-minute packing while Luke gave Liz the instructions. "We'll be gone a week and a half. I also expect this apartment to be in the same condition it is now."

"You sound like you don't trust me."

"I'm just being cautious."

"Don't worry. We'll be fine."

Luke studied her for a few seconds before turning and calling to Lorelai. "Come on, let's go."

"I'm coming! Hold your horses." Lorelai emerged from the bedroom half-carrying, half-dragging two large suitcases.

"You don't need all of that," Luke told her.

"Sure I do. We'll be gone for a week and a half."

"It looks like you've packed everything you own."

"Not everything. Now come on! I thought you were anxious to get going." She trudged to the stairs, still dragging her suitcases, and Luke picked up his own duffel bag, Rory's car seat, and the diaper bag before following her.

"Bye, Liz!" he called.

"Bye. Have fun."

After dropping Rory off with Mia, Luke and Lorelai climbed back into his truck and began to head toward the interstate. "So, where are we going?" Luke asked.

"I heard Vegas is a great place for eloping," Lorelai suggested.

"We are not driving to Vegas."

"Well, we could at least head in that general direction. I'm sure we'll find some place to get married along the way."

"I guess."

Nine hours later, Lorelai was fast asleep against the door of the truck, and Luke was also having trouble keeping his eyes open. He pulled off at the next exit and soon found a small, but clean-looking, motel. After parking the car, he gently shook Lorelai awake. "Where are we?" she questioned groggily.

"Somewhere in Ohio, I think," Luke answered. "I found a motel where we can stay for the night."

"Okay." Lorelai blinked the sleep out of her eyes and followed him inside. After checking in and receiving his key, he grabbed their bags from the back of the truck and led the way to the room. The room was small; the only pieces of furniture it contained were a small dresser, a nightstand, a bed, a chair, and a television. However, both Luke and Lorelai were too tired to care about the room's sparse furnishings. Lorelai collapsed onto the bed fully clothed, and Luke only took time to divest himself of all his clothing except his boxers before emulating her example.

For once, Lorelai was the first one awake. Luke found her sitting on the windowsill, staring at nothing when he awoke at 8:00. Quietly, he crawled out of bed and padded to her side, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She jumped slightly before relaxing when she realized who it was. Leaning against him, she said, "We're getting married today."

"I know," he said. "Scared?"

"Not at all. You?"

"I'm perfectly calm."

"That's good." Lorelai continued to stare out the window, still lost in thought. She had watched enough movies to know that most brides experienced wedding day jitters, and she guessed that it would be normal if she felt scared. But she truly was not scared. Marriage to Luke felt right.

"Feel like breakfast?" Luke inquired.

"As long as it involves coffee."

"I think we can manage that."

After breakfast at a nearby café, they checked out of the motel and asked the desk clerk about nearby wedding chapels. The clerk did not even give them a second glance before providing directions to one a few miles away. They thanked him and left with Luke now carrying one of Lorelai's huge bags. "I told you we'd find somewhere along the way," Lorelai told Luke.

"I never doubted you," he said as he hefted her bags into the back of the truck.

"That's good. Because that's the first thing you're going to have to learn before we get married. I am always right."

"Duly noted. Let's go."

Half an hour later, they were still on the road. "I'm pretty sure that's the turn," Lorelai said, pointing.

"How sure are you really? Because that's what you said about the last three turns we took, and none of them were right," Luke grumbled.

"Just turn!"

"Fine." Luke swung the wheel to the right and continued down the narrow two-lane road which he had taken at Lorelai's urging. After a couple miles, Luke was ready to turn around and try again, but Lorelai shouted excitedly and pointed to a sign in front of them. It read "Love Shack" with an arrow pointing to the right.

"See, I was right!" Lorelai told him.

"I guess the fourth time's the charm." Luke turned onto a road even narrower than the one he had just left. Two cars could never fit on it side by side, and Luke drove cautiously, half expecting to run into someone at every turn. Finally, he reached a small wooden building with slightly yellowish white paint. The door was bright red, and two joined hearts had been stenciled on near the top. A few trees framed the building, giving it a slightly rustic atmosphere. Since no other cars were parked in the gravel lot, Luke assumed they were the chapels only customers.

A bell rang in the back when Luke opened the door, and a short, raven-haired woman in her mid-forties emerged from a door to one side. She wore brightly colored clothes and so much jewelry that she jangled as she walked. "Hello, dears!" she called. "How can I help you?"

"We wanted to get married," Luke explained.

"Well, they you've come to the right place! Take a seat, and I'll be back in a minute with the paperwork."

Luke sat down on a nearby sofa which was covered in fire-engine red fabric that matched the door. Lorelai sat beside him, and he took her hand between his. "Ready?"

"I wouldn't have said yes if I wasn't."

"Good."

It took more than an hour to finish all the paperwork. After Luke signed his name to the final sheet, the woman, who had introduced herself as Daisy, gathered all of the forms from them and began explaining the ceremony. "We have all the basics here—a tux, a dress, some flowers, etc. Also, we have an ordained minister to perform the ceremony. I will be your witness. Any questions?" When both shook their heads, Daisy clapped her hands together with excessive exuberance. "Good, then let's go get you dressed and get this show on the road."

Luke was standing at the front of the small chapel an hour later. Everything in the chapel appeared to have been painted the same white as the outside, but the color was less yellowish, and all the furniture items seemed to glow beneath the brilliant white paint. He fidgeted, trying to move his feet into a more comfortable position in his dress shoes. The largest shoe size the chapel had was a 12, and he typically wore a 13. Still, he managed to squeeze his feet into them. His tux was also too small, and he tugged at the collar in discomfort. The minister watched wearing a bemused expression, and Luke sheepishly stopped moving. He hoped Lorelai would be out soon; he was ready to finish the ceremony and start the honeymoon. Hopefully sans tux.

A noise at the back of the chapel caused Luke to turn his head, and he saw Lorelai standing in the doorway. In Luke's eyes, she was more beautiful than she had ever been. Unlike Luke's tux, her dress fit perfectly, hugging her curves and accenting her well-shaped body. Her hair was in a loose bun; it was not fancy, but it fit her. Her blue eyes were clearly visible even under the sheer veil which covered her face. Pre-recorded music began to flow from the speakers overhead, and Lorelai slowly walked toward Luke. She reached his side in no time, for the chapel was no more than twenty-five feet wide. When she stepped up to the alter beside him, Daisy cut the music off abruptly, but neither noticed the sudden silence, for they were both too focused on each other. Wearing a broad smile, Luke lifted Lorelai's veil, and both turned to face the minister. "We are gathered here today to join these two people, Lucas Patrick Danes and Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, in holy matrimony. If anyone has any objections to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace." He paused briefly and the nearly-empty chapel remained silent. "Let us proceed then. Do you have the rings?" From his pocket, Luke pulled two rings that they had picked out the previous day during their long drive. "Lucas Patrick Danes, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for as long as you both shall live."

"I do," Luke said, smiling confidently.

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Lorelai answered with a smile that matched Luke's.

"Luke, I want you to place the ring on Lorelai's finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Luke repeated, slipping the ring onto Lorelai's finger. It fit perfectly.

"Lorelai, I want you to place the other ring on Luke's finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed." As Lorelai placed the ring on his finger, Luke looked down at it. Although he had never worn jewelry before, the ring felt right on his hand. It seemed almost as if it had always been there.

"By the power vested in me by the state of Ohio, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Still wearing huge smiles, they leaned in toward each other.

"It's about time," Luke whispered against her lips before pulling her to him in a passionate kiss. After around a minute, he pulled back. "Where'd we decide to go for our honeymoon?" he asked.

"Anywhere with a comfortable bed and a lot of privacy sounds good to me," Lorelai said.

"That sounds perfect." With a smile, he grabbed her hand, and they both stepped down from the altar, ready to start their new life together.


End file.
